As the game is developing with technologies and with more manpower, it is quite important to be accurate with the in-game decision-making so that the quality of the match does not drop. That is why ICC is incredibly careful with selecting the Umpires, as in a stadium where a crowd of 20,000 people is chanting, it is very difficult to listen to small edges and make split-second decisions. This is why ICC makes sure that candidates who have over 90% of decisions correct can proceed to become ICC-employed umpires, where they can umpire on different levels of the game. 

And, for these Crucial decisions, ICC needs to compensate these umpires justly so that they have the urge to keep on making crucial decisions. As we proceed, we will discuss the salaries of the umpires, how the salaries are measured, and more things related to umpiring. 

The Criteria Behind Selecting the amount of Salaries for the Umpires

So, aside from being a competent umpire, you need to understand the essential thing: the higher the quality of cricket, the higher the number of sponsorships inside a tournament, and the higher the salaries will be for the umpires. 

ICC (International Cricket Council) has sanctioned umpires who get paid per match or day basis on an international game along with an annual salary. These fees depend on the type of umpires; they are like the Elite panel of umpires, who get paid the most. 

Naturally, international matches, which are ICC-sanctioned matches,  will be the most paid per match due to the high viewership and sponsorship, along with the need for the standard of umpiring to be better. The domestic leagues, which are operated by the board of the specific, obviously would attract lesser pay as fewer people are interested in them, and there’s little to no viewership, that is if the tournament is broadcasted. These ICC-sanctioned matches can lead the Umpires to win the ICC Umpire Year of the Award, in which they can win a cash prize. 

Then comes the leagues; the T20 leagues provide good pay opportunities for the Umpires as they attract almost the same amount of viewership and sponsorships as the ICC tournaments. These tournaments can draw more salaries for the umpires through sponsorships, where they attach the brand logos to the jerseys. Last recorded, out of all the leagues, IPL (Indian Premier League) pays the highest to the umpires, 3 lac rupees per match, and BPL (Bangladesh Premier League) pays the lowest, merely 15,000 rupees per match. There are other tournaments like the Hundred or the Big Bash that pay a high salary per match for the umpires. 

However, for opportunities in the T20 leagues, performance and reputation are prioritized quite a lot, as the offers to these tournaments come after good performances and accurate decision-making in international matches. 

Also, high-profile matches get paid more than regular matches. Essentially, during the knockout stages of the games, the appointed umpires, based on their performances or pre-selected, will get paid more. Aleem Dar (Currently Retired) is known to be one of the highest-paid umpires. 

As for the test-playing nations, the wealthiest boards usually have the highest salaries paid to the Umpires, so naturally, a Umpire from England, Australia, and India will get paid more than Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or Pakistan.

Salaries of some of the famous umpires: International, Domestic, and League matches.

Now, there are three types of ICC umpires. The ICC Elite panel of Umpires, the regular panel of Umpires, and a panel of ICC’s development umpires.

Let us talk about some of the ICC Elite panel of Umpires, along with their Salaries and other key pointers. 

Let us now talk about some of the elite umpires. 

Richard Illingworth 

Recently won the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year for the third time; Richard Illingworth has been a pretty known face in the cricket world, seen all around the globe umpiring in international and T20 leagues.  Currently umpires the Pakistan Super League Matches, and the last international match he umpired was the New Zealand vs South Africa test match at Hamilton in February. 

Test: 67 

ODI: 90

T2OI: 27

Annual Fee: 100,000 USD

Paul Reiffel

Another one of the umpires who has been around forever and always gives the expression of the friendly umpires is Paul Reiffel. Ever since his Debut in January 2009, the great man has merely umpired around 180 matches; if we count TV umpiring, then it would surely go higher. 

Test: 66

ODI: 89

T2OI: 27 

Annual Fee: 100,000 USD

Kumar Dharmasena

Surely you remember the 2019 World Cup final incident where the umpire awarded six runs in the final over. Yes, it is Kumar Dharmesena, everyone. It is almost as if there is controversy following him. But, the great man has been one of the stalwarts of Sri Lankan Crickets Umpiring and has been around for ages. In terms of experience, he is actually widely regarded as one of the greatest umpires cricket has ever seen having umpired over 100 games in merely ODIs. 

Test: 83

ODI: 127

T2OI: 42

Annual Fee: 100,000 USD

Marais Erasmus 

Another one who was part of the controversy in the final over of the 2019 World Cup final with Kumar Dharmasena is Marais Erasmus. The big man from South Africa is also a legend in the Umpiring leagues as he an experience of umpiring 200+ international games. That cannot happen without an amazing display of responses to make the game interesting, although Marais is sometimes known for making obvious blunders. The legend has also umpired 60 women’s matches, and now he is set to retire after the second New Zealand-Australia Test. 

Test: 82

ODI: 124

T2OI: 43

Annual Fee: 100,000

Chris Gaffaney

More visible in the test match arenas and sometimes in the ODIs, Chris Gaffaney hardly sets a foot wrong with his accurate decisions. The Ex Kiwi Cricket has amassed his experience with umpiring over 150 matches and during his current tenure, he won the G.J. Gardner Homes Umpire of the Year Award back in 2022. Chris Gaffaney has been a personal favorite ever since the historic test match victory of Bangladesh against the Kiwis on their home soil. 

Test: 53

ODI: 86 

T2OI: 43 

Annual Fee: 100,000 USD

There are also other umpires who are just as good and worth noting; the likes of Joel Wilson, Michael Gough, Bruce Oxenford, and  Richard Kettleborough have all contributed to the game massively with their accurate and fair decisions. Also, there are Umpires from India and Pakistan in the Elite panel, Nitin Menon and Ahsan Raza respectively. 

Now as for the general panel members of the umpire below the elite ones are the umpires within the test-playing nation circuit, where you can see that each test-playing nation currently has a maximum 4 number of Umpires and one or two countries with 3 number of umpires. 

Now as for the ICC’s development Nation of Umpires, these are a cluster of umpires primarily from the associate nation countries along with a few umpires within the main nation countries. This gives the umpires to have exposure to international matches where they can develop their umpiriing skills and get promoted to the next level. 

Common Question: Are Cricket Umpires and Referees the same? 

No, this confusion and thought comes to mind to quite a lot of people, but Cricket umpiring and referees are two different activities done by two different sets of mutually exclusive employees. The Umpires are required to regulate and decide on the activities inside the game, whereas Match referees are to ensure the match is being played with proper decorum while maintaining all the rules, including having the liberty of taking disciplinary actions. 

To Conclude! 

Hence, cricket umpires are pivotal in ensuring the integrity and smooth functioning of the game. With the evolution of technology and the increasing scrutiny on decision-making, umpires are under constant pressure to maintain accuracy and fairness. The selection criteria for umpires, whether for international matches, domestic leagues, or elite panels, are stringent, emphasizing performance, reputation, and experience. Salaries for umpires vary depending on the level of the match, the prestige of the tournament, and the financial standing of the cricket board involved. Despite occasional controversies and challenges, umpires like those in the ICC Elite panel continue to uphold the spirit of the game with their dedication and proficiency, contributing significantly to the rich tapestry of cricketing history.

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