SA20 has announced the 17 match officials for the inaugural competition set to begin on 10 January 2023 in Cape Town.
It is an experienced group of umpires, with a total of 12 set to officiate across the 33 matches. There will also be five match referees spread across the six iconic venues around South Africa.
The list is headlined by current ICC Umpire of the Year, Marais Erasmus, who officiated in the 2022 and 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup finals, as well as the epic 2019 ICC Men’s World Cup final at Lord’s.
Erasmus will be joined by fellow ICC International Panel of Umpires Shaun George, Adrian Holdstock, Bongani Jele and Allahudien Paleker. Holdstock also recently officiated at the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
Betway SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said: “Umpires are a vital part of the game and we are thrilled to have some of the best officials in South Africa and the World. The league is a platform for our umpires to officiate on a global stage and for them to step up against some high-quality cricket from the world’s best players.”
Every match of the League will use a full component of DRS, keeping the margin for error at a minimum.
The tournament opener set for Tuesday, 10 January is between MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals at Newlands.
Paleker, who made his test debut earlier this year said: “I’m excited to be a part of the SA20 match officials. It’s set to be one of the biggest Leagues in the world featuring some of the best T20 players in the world, it’s a great opportunity to stand in it.”
The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, 8 February and Thursday, 9 February at the Wanderers and Centurion respectively. The final is set for the Wanderers on Saturday, 11 February.
BETWAY SA20 MATCH OFFICIALS
Match Referees: Barry Lambson, Laurence Matroos, Zama Ndamane, Gerrie Pienaar, Shaid Wadvalla
Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Siphelele Gasa, Babalo Gcuma, Shaun George, Stephen Harris, Adrian Holdstock, Arno Jacobs, Bongani Jele, Allahudien Paleker, Dennis Smith, Abdullah Steenkamp, Brad White