BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 has unveiled its distinguished panel of match officials, featuring some of the world’s most experienced referees and umpires alongside Sri Lanka Cricket’s emerging officiating talent.
The tournament, scheduled to run from 17 July to 8 August, will once again benefit from the expertise of internationally acclaimed officials, reinforcing the league’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of match management and officiating.
Leading the Match Referee Panel is Ranjan Madugalle, a member of the prestigious ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and one of the most respected figures in international cricket administration.
He will be joined by Graeme Labrooy, a member of the ICC Emerging Match Referees Group, Wendell Labrooy from the ICC International Panel of Match Referees, as well as Manoj Mendis and Pradeep Jeyapragash, who represent Sri Lanka Cricket’s Emerging Panel of Match Referees.
Match Referee Panel
- Ranjan Madugalle – ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees
- Graeme Labrooy – ICC Emerging Match Referees Group
- Wendell Labrooy – ICC International Panel of Match Referees
- Manoj Mendis – SLC Emerging Panel of Match Referees
- Pradeep Jeyapragash – SLC Emerging Panel of Match Referees
The Umpire Panel is equally impressive, headlined by Kumar Dharmasena, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and one of the world’s most accomplished match officials.
Joining Dharmasena are Wayne Knights and Asif Yaqoob, both members of the ICC Emerging Umpires Group, together with experienced ICC International Panel umpires Raveendra Wimalasiri, Prageeth Rambukwella, Ravindra Kottahachchi, and Chamara De Zoysa.
The panel is further strengthened by Sri Lanka Cricket’s emerging umpires Asanka Nanayakkara, Chandrika Amarasinghe, Hemantha Boteju, Shantha Fonseka, and P.R.L. Dulsiri, reflecting the board’s continued emphasis on developing the next generation of elite match officials.
Umpire Panel
- Kumar Dharmasena – ICC Elite Panel of Umpires
- Wayne Knights – ICC Emerging Umpires Group
- Asif Yaqoob – ICC Emerging Umpires Group
- Raveendra Wimalasiri – ICC International Panel of Umpires
- Prageeth Rambukwella – ICC International Panel of Umpires
- Ravindra Kottahachchi – ICC International Panel of Umpires
- Chamara De Zoysa – ICC International Panel of Umpires
- Asanka Nanayakkara – SLC Emerging Panel of Umpires
- Chandrika Amarasinghe – SLC Emerging Panel of Umpires
- Hemantha Boteju – SLC Emerging Panel of Umpires
- Shantha Fonseka – SLC Emerging Panel of Umpires
- P.R.L. Dulsiri – SLC Emerging Panel of Umpires
The appointment of a balanced mix of internationally recognised officials and promising domestic talent highlights Sri Lanka Cricket’s ongoing commitment to maintaining world-class officiating standards while creating a clear development pathway for future ICC match officials.
With an experienced officiating team in place, the LPL 2026 is set to deliver another highly competitive edition of Sri Lanka’s premier franchise T20 tournament, ensuring matches are conducted with professionalism, consistency, and integrity throughout the competition.
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