India's G S Lakshmi to be match referee in Women's Cricket World Cup Final

Christchurch, April 1, 2022

India's G S Lakshmi will be the match referee in the final of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 between defending champions England and Australia to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Sunday, April 3.

In a first for a global cricket, four women match officials will oversee the final, a press release from the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.

"As part of its strategic commitment to a gender equitable sport, the ICC has focused on increasing the number of international female match officials, with women comprising eight of the 15 match officials at this event," it said.

Lakshmi was the first woman ever in the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees. She had overseen the semi-final between England and South Africa at the same venue.

Lauren Agenbag of South Africa and Kim Cotton of New Zealand will be the two On-field Umpires while West Indies’ Jacqueline Williams, who in 2020 became the first female to officiate as the Third Umpire in a men’s international match, will also take charge as the TV Umpire here. Langton Rusere of Zimbabwe will be the Fourth Umpire.

Cotton was the only woman Match Official in the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 between Australia and India at the MCG.

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