The Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees is composed of former international cricket players who are appointed by the ICC to oversee all Test match,

One Day International One Day International (ODI) is a format of cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of fifty overs, with the game lasting up to 7 hours. The World Cup, generally held every four yea ...

and

Twenty20 International Twenty20 International (T20I) is a form of Twenty20 cricket, in which each team plays a single innings with a maximum of twenty overs. The matches are played between international teams recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). ...

cricket matches in the capacity of

Match referee A match referee is an official appointed to oversee professional cricket matches. Match referees for Test matches and One Day Internationals are appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Most matches below international level do not ...

. The referees are ultimately in charge of all international cricket matches, and act as the ICC's representative at the grounds. In addition they are responsible for imposing penalties for infringements of the ICC Code of Conduct, and so being ex-international cricketers they can ensure that the punishments dealt out are just. The referees also form part of the ICC's

umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...

performance review, submitting reports about the umpires after each match.

Current members

As of 10 June 2025 the ICC Elite Panel consists of:

Past members

The following people were included in the inaugural panel of elite referees but have since retired:

Controversies

2006 ball-tampering controversy

Mike Procter Michael John Procter (15 September 1946 – 17 February 2024) was a South African cricketer, whose involvement in international cricket was limited by South Africa's banishment from world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s. A fast bowler and hard- ...

was criticised for failing to persuade umpires

Darrell Hair Darrell Bruce Hair (born 30 September 1952) is an Australian former Test match cricket umpire, from New South Wales. He was on the International panel of umpires from 2002 to 2003, before he, along with fellow Australian Simon Taufel, and New ...

and

Billy Doctrove Billy Raymond Doctrove (born 3 July 1955) is a Dominica former international football referee, but is best known as an international cricket umpire. Career as a FIFA referee During his time as a referee, Doctrove took charge of several inter ...

to continue with the match, which was awarded to England when Pakistan refused to take the field in protest at being accused of ball tampering.

2007 Cricket World Cup Final

Jeff Crowe Jeffrey John Crowe (born 14 September 1958) is a former New Zealand cricketer. He played Test and One Day International cricket for New Zealand from 1983 to 1990, and first-class cricket for South Australia and then Auckland. He has been an IC ...

was seen as ultimately responsible for the failure of the five match officials (himself and umpires Bucknor, Dar, Koertzen and

Bowden Bowden may refer to: Places Australia * Bowden Island, one of the Family Islands in Queensland * Bowden, South Australia, northwestern suburb of Adelaide * Bowden railway station Canada * Bowden, Alberta, town in central Alberta England * Bowd ...

) to adhere to the ICC's playing conditions regarding to the number of overs required before Duckworth-Lewis can determine the outcome of a match. This resulted in Australia and Sri Lanka having to play out three overs in near darkness, since they had been told they would otherwise have to return and play out the overs the following day. In the aftermath of this fiasco, Crowe apologised on behalf of the playing control team for the error.

Records

Tests

Most Test matches as a referee as of 1 June 2025:

ODIs

Most ODI matches as a referee as of 1 June 2025:

T20Is

Most T20I matches as a referee as of 10 June 2025:

References

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