GS Lakshmi, Jeff Crowe, and Gerhardus Piennar have been announced as referees to officiate in an ICC match. They will be the match referees for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019.
GS Lakshmi thus becomes the first Indian woman referee of an ICC event. Lakshmi has earlier officiated in domestic women’s cricket in 2008-09 and was also the referee during this year’s Women’s T20 Challenge.
Lakshmi has represented Railways and played alongside the likes of former India captain Diana Edulji and Hemlata Kala, who is currently the national chief selector for the women’s team. Lakshmi was also a part of India’s squad during the tour of England in 1999.
Along with Lakshmi, former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe and South Africa’s Gerhardus Piennar are the other women who will be officiating men’s matches in the qualifier tournament.
Piennar will be officiating the Scotland vs Singapore match which will be the opening game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. Lakshmi will be the referee of the Hong Kong vs Ireland match while Crowe, Alex Wharf and Allahudien Palekar will officiate in the Oman vs UAE match of the tournament.
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