Caribbean finds way into Cricket World Cup semis

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

TRINIDAD AND Tobago and West Indies umpire Joel Wilson will be one of the match officials used for the semifinals of the 2023 ICC Men’s One-Day International (ODI) Cricket World Cup in India.

The 56-year-old, a member of the top-tier elite panel of international umpires, and former Leeward Islands batsman and West Indies captain Richie Richardson as match referee have been flying the West Indies flag in their respective roles in the absence of the Caribbean team from the global showpiece tournament.

Wilson, who hails from Siparia, Trinidad, will be the video replays umpire for the first semifinal between hosts India and 2019 runners-up New Zealand today at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

This is the third successive World Cup for Wilson, and he has stood in the middle in eight of the preliminary matches in this year’s tournament, performed TV umpire duties in two, and was reserve umpire for two others.

He made his ODI debut 12 years ago at Sabina Park in Jamaica when he answered a late call because of an injury to established hometown umpire Norman Malcolm.

Australian Rod Tucker, who will be standing in his 100th ODI during the match, and Richard Illingworth of England will be the field umpires for the contest, a rematch of the same semifinal that the Black Caps won four years ago in England.

Illingworth was also a field umpire on that occasion, when New Zealand won by 18 runs in a weather-affected match spread over two days at Old Trafford, while Tucker was the third umpire for the same match.

Tucker stood in his first ODI in January 2009, and the team of match officials for the contest between the Indians and the New Zealanders will be completed by match referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe, and Adrian Holdstock of South Africa.

Englishman Richard Kettleborough, who has also reached 100 ODIs during this tournament, will add to his tally when he stands in the second semifinal between five-time world champions Australia and first title-hopefuls South Africa on Thursday in Kolkata.

Kettleborough’s milestone arrived when the Netherlands played Sri Lanka on October 21, and this will be the third consecutive World Cup in which he will officiate a semifinal.

Indian umpire Nitin Menon, officiating in his first World Cup, will join him on the field, while Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand will be the video replays umpire, former India pacer Javagal Srinath will be the match referee, and Englishman Michael Gough will be the reserve umpire.