DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) — Trinidadian Joel Wilson will be the only West Indian member of the panel of 16 umpires and four match referees that will oversee matches in the International Cricket Counsil (ICC) Men’s Twenty20 World Cup from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world governing body, announced yesterday the match officials’ appointments for the qualifying round of matches and the group stage of the global showpiece.

“We are delighted to be able to call on some of the world’s top officials for the T20 World Cup with a group of 16 umpires and four match referees,” ICC senior manager for umpires and referees Adrian Griffith said.

The ICC said the appointment of the umpires and referees meant that for the first time since the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic, there will be neutral umpires for all matches.

“Our aim is always to appoint the best possible officials, and we have also been able to appoint neutral umpires and referees in all matches,” Griffith, a former Barbados and West Indies opener, said. “We wish them all the very best, and we are confident they will ensure the smooth conduct of matches.”

Wilson, 54, is currently the only West Indian on the 11-member ICC elite panel of umpires, arguably the best umpires in the sport from around the world, and he has officiated in 36 Tests, 101 One-day Internationals and 42 Twenty20 Internationals.

Fellow West Indian umpires, Gregory Brathwaite, Nigel Duguid, Leslie Reifer Jr and Patrick Gustard, all members of the second tier ICC panel of internationals umpires, were overlooked.

Former West Indies captain, Sir Richie Richardson, a member of the ICC elite panel of match referees, will also not be part of the tournament.

Wilson is carded to be part of the officiating team in 17 matches during the tournament, comprising seven warm-up matches, two qualifying matches and eight group matches.

Of those, he will be on the field for three warm-ups, one qualifier and four group matches, he will be the video umpire in two warm-ups and three group matches, and he will be the fourth umpire in two warm-ups, one qualifier and one group match.

The umpires — all 11 elite umpires and five international umpires — and match referees finalised for the 45-match tournament also include three umpires who will be officiating in their sixth T20 World Cups — Pakistani Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus of South Africa and Australian Rod Tucker.

Dar and Erasmus have been selected for the opening group match for West Indies against England, a rematch of the last T20 World Cup final back five years ago, with former Australia batsman David Boon the match referee for that encounter and New Zealander Chris Brown, appearing in his first T20 World Cup, on TV duty.

Officials have been named for all matches in the qualifying round and group stage, with the selections for the semi-finals and final of the tournament to be named in due course.