The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will proceed in Pakistan without any Indian match officials, marking yet another instance where geopolitical tensions have influenced cricketing decisions. Javagal Srinath, one of the most experienced ICC match referees, and Nitin Menon, a member of the ICC’s elite panel of umpires, have mutually agreed with the governing body to withdraw from officiating in Pakistan during the tournament.
Since all of India’s matches are scheduled to be played in Dubai—where only neutral officials are permitted—no Indian officials will participate in the tournament. This decision follows the hybrid model adopted after extensive negotiations between the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ensuring that the Indian team does not play in Pakistan. Likewise, future ICC events hosted by India will see matches involving Pakistan relocated to neutral venues.
The absence of Indian match officials for the Champions Trophy is not unprecedented. Political tensions between the two nations have long impacted cricketing relations, preventing bilateral series between India and Pakistan since 2012 and influencing logistical decisions at ICC events. Even in multinational tournaments, the prospect of India and Pakistan facing each other is carefully managed to avoid additional complexities.
Despite the absence of Indian officials, the ICC has assembled a strong 12-member panel for the tournament, including Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Michael Gough, Paul Reiffel, Chris Gaffaney, and Kumar Dharmasena. Ahsan Raza is the sole Pakistani umpire in the panel, while the match referee team includes David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, and Andrew Pycroft.
Commenting on the appointments, Sean Easey, ICC’s senior manager for umpires and referees, assured stakeholders that the panel was selected solely on merit.