DUBAI: Faisal Khan Afridi and Saleema Imtiaz will represent Pakistan as part of the officiating team for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
The six-team tournament will take place in Pakistan from April 9 to April 19 and will determine the two teams that will secure spots in this year’s ICC Women’s World Cup.
The panel consists of 10 umpires and three match referees.
Saleema Imtiaz made history last year as the first Pakistani woman to join an ICC umpiring panel, and she expressed her hope of inspiring a new generation of female umpires in Pakistan. “This isn’t just a win for me; it’s a victory for every aspiring female cricketer and umpire in Pakistan,” she said. “I hope my achievement motivates other women to pursue their dreams in the sport.”
Joining Faisal and Saleema, the panel will include two umpires from Bangladesh—Masudur Rahman Mukul and Shathira Jakir Jesy—as well as Zimbabwe’s Sarah Dambanevana. Other officials include South Africa’s Donovan Koch and Babs Gcuma, West Indies’ Candace la Borde, Sri Lanka’s Dedunu de Silva, and New Zealand’s Shaun Haig.
The appointed match referees for the tournament are Ali Naqvi (Pakistan), Shandre Fritz (South Africa), and Trudy Anderson (New Zealand).
Sean Easey, ICC Senior Manager for Umpires and Referees, highlighted the significance of the event for the officials. “This is an exciting opportunity for our match officials to demonstrate their skills in such an important tournament, which serves as the final step for teams toward the World Cup,” said Easey. “Our officials are experienced and well-prepared, and we are eager to see them in action.”
