The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final will be held at Lord’s in London, featuring a clash between Australia and South Africa. Scheduled to take place from June 11 to June 15, the final was officially announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday, May 23, along with the appointment of match officials.
Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand and Richard Illingworth from England have been named as the on-field umpires for the highly anticipated contest. Both umpires bring significant experience to the role, having officiated in major international matches. Notably, they also served as on-field umpires in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia.
Richard Illingworth, in particular, has an impressive record in WTC finals, having officiated in both the 2021 and 2023 editions. With this upcoming match, he will become the on-field umpire in a WTC final for the third consecutive time. Illingworth is also the reigning ICC Umpire of the Year.
Javagal Srinath Appointed Match Referee for ICC WTC 2023-25 Final
Former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath has been appointed as the match referee for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final. England’s Richard Kettleborough will serve as the TV umpire, reprising the role he played during the WTC 2019-21 final between India and New Zealand.
India’s Nitin Menon has been named as the fourth umpire. Having previously served as the TV umpire in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 final, Menon will make his debut as a match official in a WTC final.
In the lead-up to the clash, Australia and South Africa have announced their squads for the high-stakes encounter. Pat Cummins will lead the Australian side, while Temba Bavuma will captain South Africa. Both teams secured their spots in the final by finishing in the top two of the WTC 2023-25 points table.
South Africa topped the standings with a points percentage (PCT) of 69.44, winning 8 out of 12 Tests, losing 3, and drawing 1. Australia followed closely in second place with a PCT of 67.54, securing 13 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws from 19 Tests.
