Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced its Match Officials Panel for the 2025–26 cricket season, featuring a balanced mix of experienced and emerging umpires and referees from across the country.
PCB 2025–26 match officials. According to the announcement, the PCB International Panel consists of match referee Ali Naqvi and umpires Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi, Rashid Riaz, and Salima Imtiaz. These officials will oversee major domestic and international-level fixtures hosted in Pakistan throughout the season.
The PCB Elite Panel of Match Officials includes 18 umpires and 10 match referees, all selected based on their consistent performance, accuracy in decision-making, and adherence to professional standards.
To ensure continuous development and fair evaluation, the board has also formed a Supplementary Panel, which is divided into two categories for close monitoring. Supplementary Panel I features 14 umpires, while Supplementary Panel II consists of 24 umpires. Alongside these, 10 match referees have been appointed to the Supplementary Panel of Match Referees.
In addition, the PCB Emerging Panel comprises 40 umpires representing various regions of Pakistan. This initiative aims to identify and train promising officials for future domestic and international roles.
A key highlight of this year’s announcement is the inclusion of 13 female umpires, including Salima Imtiaz, marking a significant step toward promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in cricket officiating.
The PCB stated that the formation of these panels is part of its broader effort to enhance officiating standards and ensure consistent performance across all levels of domestic cricket. Regular assessments, refresher courses, and training workshops will be held to help umpires and referees stay updated with the latest playing conditions, technological developments, and code of conduct guidelines.
Through these structured panels, the PCB aims to strengthen its domestic officiating framework, nurture young talent, and maintain the highest level of integrity and professionalism in Pakistan cricket.
