NSW’s Polosak to umpire’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup opener | Cricket NSW

by Admin
October 3, 2024

Cricket NSW’s seniormost female umpire, Claire Polosak, a trailblazing figure in women’s cricket, is in the United Arab Emirates for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which kicked off last night and will culminate with the final in Dubai on October 20.

Overnight Polosak officiated the tournament’s opening match between Bangladesh and Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, alongside Lauren Agenbag from South Africa.

This year’s tournament features an all-female panel of ten umpires and three match referees, highlighting the growing prominence of women in cricket officiating.

This World Cup marks an impressive milestone for Polosak, as it is her seventh World Cup, reinforcing her status as a leading umpire in international cricket. With an extensive record, she has now umpired a total of 73 WT20 Internationals (including last night’s match).

Polosak is one of Australia’s most decorated female umpires and last year, became the country’s 616th First Class umpire on the WACA Ground, officiating in the men’s Round 5 Sheffield Shield fixture between South Australia and Western Australia, and in doing so, becoming the first Australian woman to stand in a First Class match.

In addition to the opening match, Polosak has been appointed to officiate a further five matches in the preliminary rounds:

On October 6, Polosak will also be part of the much-anticipated match between India and Pakistan, where she will again team up with Agenbag. In a thrilling double-header on October 13, both umpires will officiate the clash between Scotland and England.

When asked why she loves umpiring, Polosak had sad: “Every day is a different day, you meet a whole range of different people, and you’re always learning and doing better.”

Her mantra has certainly taken her to achieving her new milestones and has also made Cricket NSW proud.