England’s Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf have been selected as on-field umpires for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Illingworth, who previously officiated in the 2024 final, will be joined by Wharf, marking his first senior World Cup final appearance. The duo recently officiated in New Zealand’s semi-final victory over South Africa.
Wharf, a former England seamer, joined the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires last year and has experience in major cricket events like the Women’s Cricket World Cup and the Men’s Cricket World Cup. The upcoming final will also feature South Africa’s Allahuddien Paleker as the third umpire and England’s Adrian Holdstock as the fourth umpire, with Andy Pycroft as the match referee.
India, the top-ranked team, is vying for their third Men’s T20 World Cup title and aims to secure a historic back-to-back win. They will face New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, who are seeking their first Men’s T20 World Cup victory after a strong performance in the semi-final against South Africa.
