Major League Cricket (MLC) has unveiled its elite panel of 11 match officials for the highly anticipated debut of America's first franchised professional cricket league.

Major League Cricket (MLC) today announced the panel of 11 match officials for America's first professional franchise cricket league, scheduled to begin Thursday, July 13, 2023.

Nine umpires and two match referees will form an experienced panel of umpires for the 19 games played at two cricket-specific venues in North Texas (Grand Prairie Stadium, Grand Prairie, TX) and North Carolina (Church Street Park, Morrisville, NC) beforehand of the championship game on Sunday 30 July.

They all bring a wealth of experience and expertise to ensure the games are run fairly and efficiently. Among the officials are three judges currently on the ICC International Panel of Umpires: Wayne Knights, Paul Wilson and Ruchira Palliyaguru. Her admission is a testament to her exceptional skills and recognition at the international level.

In addition, four US-based judges have earned their place on the panel: Jermaine Lindo, Rushane Samuels, Vijaya Prakash Mallela and Billy Taylor. Both Lindo and Mallela are currently members of the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires, demonstrating their commitment to honing their craft and contributing to the growth of cricket in the United States.

The official team is headed by none other than Simon Taufel, five-time ICC Referee of the Year. Taufel's expertise and invaluable experience will stand him in good stead as he takes on the role of the league's match umpire. Reon King, who is currently a member of the International Panel of ICC Match Referees, assists him in the crucial task of maintaining the highest standards of the game.

To complete the refereeing team, Owen Brown and Colin Edwards were appointed fourth referees for the tournament. Their presence ensures smooth coordination and support of the referees on the field, thus contributing to the smooth running of the games.

"The cricket world will be watching this historic event and the MLC's 'seventh team' - our group of match officials - is focused on delivering excellence with a quality mix of international and domestic umpires," said Simon Taufel. "I look forward to bringing my experience to the event and helping to develop refereeing in the United States."

The very first MLC game starts at 7:30 p.m. CST on Thursday, July 13, under the lights of America's new premier cricket venue, the 7,200-seat Grand Prairie Stadium near Dallas, TX. Fans can purchase the limited remaining seats at Tickets.majorleaguecricket.com, starting at just $30.