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Umpires are very crucial in the game of cricket. On the field, one wrong move could bring the end. On the field, there are two umpires. One umpire stands behind the stumps where the bowler begins to bowl, while another stands in front of the batter facing the delivery. The decisions are made by the umpires in accordance with the rules of cricket. Third umpires are two additional umpires who are not present on the field. They make decisions when the on-field umpires signal them to, or if the players are unhappy with the on-field umpires, they conduct a review, and the third umpire enters the fray, watching the footage and settling the issue. Following are the top 10 umpires in T20 World Cup history:
Anthony Lloyd Hill
Anthony Lloyd Hill (born June 26, 1951), better known as Tony Hill, is a retired New Zealand umpire. In 2005, he made his debut as a T20 umpire. From 2005 to 2012, he umpired the game 17 times in T20 internationals. He was famous for his on-field correct rulings, which the teams on the field trusted without question or reference to the third umpire. He is well-known for his participation in the 2007 T20 World Cup. In 2009, he was designated as an official member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires. Hill retired in 2013 after serving as an umpire for 15 years.
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Srinivas Venkataraghavan
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan (born April 21, 1945) is a former Indian cricketer who represented his country in all formats. Venkat returned to umpiring after a 10-year hiatus in 1993. On the field, he was noted for his rapid, eye-catching skills. He has umpired 42 ODI matches, including a few world cups, in his illustrious 11 years as an umpire. In 2003, he was awarded the Padma Shri.
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Daryl Harper
Daryl John Harper (born October 23, 1951) is a former Australian umpire who made his debut in 1987. Harper officiated the first match of the 2003 Cricket World Cup and was praised for his swift decisions. In 2002, he was appointed to the ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires. He has umpired 174 One-Day International (ODI) matches. Harper retired as an umpire in 2011 after receiving criticism from India during the India-West Indies test series.
Rudi Koertzen
Rudolf Eric Koertzen (born March 26, 1949; died August 9, 2022) was a South African umpire who used to play league cricket before becoming an umpire. He was a big fan of cricket. In 1992, he made his formal umpiring debut. He has umpired 209 ODIs and 14 T20s throughout his career. He officiated at the 2007 World Cup. He had also umpired several big-league games, as well as the Champions Trophy and the Ashes, and was well-known for making sound rulings. He retired as an umpire in 2010.
Aleem Dar
Aleem Dar (born June 6, 1968) is a former Pakistani cricketer who is now an umpire. In 2003, he made his umpiring debut. He was a member of the International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel of Umpires. He has umpired 229 ODIs and 70 T20s to date, and is best known for his appearance on the field during the 2007 T20 World Cup. Dar received the David Shepherd Trophy three times between 2009 and 2011. For his efforts, the Pakistani government bestowed the President’s Pride Award onto him.
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Steve Bucknor
Stephen Anthony Bucknor (born May 31, 1946) is a former umpire from the West Indies. In 1978, he made his umpiring debut. He has umpired 181 One-Day International (ODI) matches and is well-known for making correct judgements on the field. From 1992 to 2007, he umpired five World Cups in a row. Bucknor has also won numerous honours for his work as an umpire.
Simon Taufel
Simon James Arthur Taufel (born January 21, 1971) is a former Australian cricket umpire and member of the International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel of Umpires. From 2004 through 2008, he was named ICC Umpire of the Year five times in a row. He has officiated in 174 One-Day Internationals and 34 Twenty-Twenty matches. He was an umpire in the 2003 World Cup and announced his retirement after his final match as an umpire in the 2012 World Cup.
Dickie Bird
Harold Dennis “Dickie” Bird (born April 19, 1933) is a former English cricket umpire. He is regarded as one of the best umpires in cricket history, and he was adored by all. Cricketers were always pleased with his verdicts, and he was hired as an umpire in a number of high-profile contests. From 1973 to 1996, he umpired 69 One-Day International (ODI) matches. He has officiated three World Cup finals. In 1998, he declared his retirement.
Billy Bowden
Brent Fraser “Billy” Bowden (born April 11, 1963) is a New Zealand umpire. He is famed for his theatrical signalling technique, which includes the well-known “crooked finger of doom” gesture. He began umpiring in 1995 and is still regarded as one of the best. He has officiated 24 T20 matches and 200 ODIs. He was one of 20 umpires chosen for the 2015 World Cup. He is now serving as an official in the Super Smash T20 Women’s competition.
Ian Gould
Ian James Gould (born August 19, 1957) is a former English umpire. In 2006, he made his umpiring debut. He has officiated in the Cricket World Cups of 2007, 2015, and 2019. He is well-known for his quick reflexes and is regarded as one of the top umpires in the world of cricket. He has officiated in 141 One-Day Internationals and 37 Twenty-Twenty matches. Despite having declared his retirement as an umpire in 2019, he was appointed to the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup as an umpire.
