Gaffaney, Illingworth to officiate WTC 2025 Final at Lord's as South Africa face Australia
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed a team of seasoned match officials for the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025, scheduled to be held at Lord's from 11 to 15 June, with South Africa set to take on Australia in the much-anticipated 'Ultimate Test.
'
Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand and Richard Illingworth of England have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the marquee clash. Both bring a wealth of experience, having officiated at the highest level across formats and major ICC events.
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Illingworth, the ICC Umpire of the Year for 2024, will be officiating in his third consecutive WTC Final, having previously stood in the 2021 and 2023 editions.
Gaffaney also brings continuity, having umpired in the 2023 WTC Final and last year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final alongside Illingworth.
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Joining the duo will be Richard Kettleborough as the TV umpire. The Englishman, a familiar face in ICC finals, reprises his role from the 2021 WTC Final. India's Nitin Menon has been named fourth umpire, making his debut in a WTC Final after serving as TV umpire in the 2021 T20 World Cup Final.
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The match referee will be Javagal Srinath, the vastly experienced former India pacer who has regularly overseen major ICC events.
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Welcoming the appointments, ICC Chair
Jay Shah
stated, 'We strive to select the most qualified and deserving officials for all matches, and we are confident they will perform admirably. On behalf of the ICC, I wish them all the best.'
The Final at Lord's marks the conclusion of a competitive two-year Test cycle, with both South Africa and Australia eyeing the prestigious WTC Mace.
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