India’s GS Lakshmi will create history as the first female match referee to oversee a men’s One-Day International in the opening match of the third series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in the United Arab Emirates.
Lakshmi’s first assignment would be the tournament opener between United Arab Emirates and the United States of America on December 8, the ICC said in a release on Thursday. The competition is part of the qualification process for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023 with Scotland being the third team in the tournament.
This is the second significant achievement for Lakshmi this year, following her appointment as the first woman onto the ICC International Panel of Match Referees in May. The 51-year old who first officiated as a match referee in domestic women’s cricket in 2008-’09, has now overseen three women’s ODI matches, 16 men’s Twenty20 Internationals and seven women’s T20 Internationals.
Lakshmi was obviously elated: “It feels great, having anything assigned ‘first’ to your name gives me a sense of pride. This being a big ICC event (ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2) it feels great to be officiating at this level.”
Lakshmi, who played domestic cricket fo 18 years, is hopeful other women can follow in her footsteps of officiating in the game.
“These qualification events provide a good platform to prepare officials and provide them opportunities to gain valuable experience. I hope my promotion to the ICC International Panel of Match Referees and records like this can inspire many females. This is definitely another career opportunity for women,” she was quoted as saying in the release.
Lakshmi’s achievement comes after Claire Polosak made history to be the first woman umpire to stand in a Men’s One Day International at the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in April 2019.