India’s Nitin Menon decides against going to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025 as ICC releases list of match officials

India’s Nitin Menon was the most notable absentee in the list of match officials for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the world cricketing body announced on Wednesday. The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February. One of the members of ICC Elite panel of umpires, Nitin Menon has been a regular in all ICC tournaments in the recent past.

Besides Nitin Menon, former India cricketer and current ICC Match Referee, Javagal Srinath, too didn’t find a place in the list. However, according to a PTI report, ICC wanted Nitin Menon in the list of match officials but the Indian decided not to travel, citing personal reasons.

Earlier, India have opted to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, forcing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to accept the hybrid model. As a result, India will play all their matches in Dubai including the knockouts, provided they qualify.

In pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played at three venues in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. “The ICC wanted to put him (Menon) on the Champions Trophy roster. But he decided against travelling to Pakistan due to personal reasons,” a BCCI source told PTI.

However, Nitin Menon couldn’t have stood for the India matches in Dubai as the ICC follows the policy of appointing neutral umpires. Australian legend David Boon, Sri Lankan great great Ranjan Madugalle and Zimbabwe’s Andrew Pycroft were named as match referees.

Richard Kettleborough, a veteran of 108 ODIs, will be joined by fellow umpires Chris Gaffaney, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Illingworth, Paul Reiffel, and Rod Tucker, who also officiated in the 2017 tournament.

Kumar Dharmasena will be extending his stint of officiating 132 ODIs at the upcoming tournament, a record for an umpire from Sri Lanka in ODIs. Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson are the other umpires

Match Officials for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson.

Match Referees for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft.