Dubai, February 12: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the list of match officials, including six women, for the league phase of the Women's T20 World Cup 2020. There will be three match referees and 12 umpires, who are set to take the reins for the 23-match tournament. GS Lakshmi is set to become the first woman match referee at a global ICC event, with Lauren Agenbag, Kim Cotton, Claire Polosak, Sue Redfern and Jacqueline Williams being other women umpires named for the eight-team competition.

In the first match of the premier tournament on February 21, Williams will stand along with Shaun George. Polosak, who became the first female umpire to officiate in a men's ODI last year, will pair with Nitin Menon in the match between former champions West Indies and first-timers Thailand on 22 February. ICC Senior Manager, Umpires and Referees, Adrian Griffith, said the progress they have made is heartening and have endeavoured to provide opportunities to women officials. ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Trophy Unveiled by Bollywood Star Kareena Kapoor in Melbourne, Have a Look.

"This is the largest compliment of women match officials at a single event, and the progress we have made is heartening. We have endeavoured to provide opportunities to women officials based on merit, and it is because of their skillset and hard work that they have graduated to the top level," ICC's official website quoted Griffith as saying."

We appoint the best match officials for an event and are pleased we have the right mix. I wish all match officials at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup the very best and am confident we will have smooth adjudication of the matches," Griffith added.

Match Referees: Steve Bernard, Chris Broad, GS LakshmiUmpires: Lauren Agenbag, Gregory Brathwaite, Chris Brown, Kim Cotton, Shaun George, Nitin Menon, Claire Polosak, Ahsan Raza, Sue Redfern, Langton Rusere, Alex Wharf, Jacqueline Williams.

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