Wilson removed from ICC Elite panel of umpires

Joel Wilson has been removed from the International Cricket Council Elite Panel of Umpires, leaving the Caribbean without a representative for the second time since its inception.

The 58-year-old from Trinidad & Tobago, who has umpired 67 Test matches, 140 One-day Internationals and 71 Twenty20 Internationals, was removed from the panel along with Michael Gough of England.

Though West Indies did not take part in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy last month in Pakistan and Dubai, Wilson flew the Caribbean flag when he officiated and was the TV umpire for the final between winners India and challengers South Africa.

Wilson became an Elite Panel umpire in 2019, following in the footsteps of iconic Jamaican umpire Steve Bucknor and Dominican Billy Doctrove, but he was constantly harassed on social media during his tenure for a number of questionable decisions by irate fans.

He and Gough have made way for two former first-class players, Allahudien Paleker of South Africa and Alex Wharf of England.

Paleker has officiated in four Tests, 23 ODIs and 67 T20Is in men’s international cricket and a total of 17 women’s international matches.

He has also officiated at major ICC tournaments, including the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, and the 2024 Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

Wharf brings a wealth of experience, having also featured in 13 ODIs for England.

He has officiated on-field in seven Tests, 33 ODIs, and 45 T20Is in men’s internationals.

Wharf stood at the recent ICC Men’s and Women’s Cricket World Cups, the Men’s and Women’s T20 World Cups in 2024, and the Men’s Champions Trophy in 2025.

Barbadians Gregory Brathwaite and Leslie Reifer Jr, as well as former West Indies left-arm pacer Deighton Butler and Zahid Bassarath of T&T are current members of the ICC International Panel of umpires, the second tier of international umpiring. (CMC/BT)