KCL 2026: Kerala Cricket Association announces Umpires List for Season 3; IPL Officials Appointed for Role

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has strengthened the professional setup for the third season of the Kerala Cricket League by announcing a 15-member umpiring panel featuring several experienced officials, including former Kerala captain and ICC Elite Panel umpire K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan.

The KCL, which gets underway on Thursday, will have 10 umpires from the BCCI panel and five from the KCA state panel, ensuring a high level of officiating throughout the tournament.

Each match will feature four umpires. Two BCCI-panel officials will take charge as the on-field umpires, while another will serve as the third umpire to review referrals and assist with decision-making. A fourth umpire will also be present at every game, handling reserve duties and various responsibilities outside the playing area.

Ananthapadmanabhan is undoubtedly the most prominent name in the group. A former Kerala captain, he became the first Malayali umpire to earn a place on the ICC Elite Panel. With extensive experience officiating international matches as well as major T20 competitions, including the IPL, his presence is expected to add considerable expertise to the league.

Tony Emmatty, another key member of the panel, brings significant experience from competitions such as the IPL, Women’s Premier League and Ranji Trophy. He is also a BCCI Level 2 umpire.

The remaining BCCI-panel umpires are Vishwajith B, Nidhin K, A. Sivakumar, Ali Asgar, Ghanshyam Prabhu, Bharat M.S., Jishnu Ajith and Shankar S. The KCA panel consists of Madhusoodanan, Akhil Venugopal, Vikas Agarwal, Harshad Basil and Justin Madavan.

Hawk-Eye technology introduced in KCL 2026

In another major step towards improving the quality of officiating, the KCA has introduced Hawk-Eye technology for the third season of the KCL.

The technology, widely used in international cricket, will enable officials to examine reviews in greater detail and assist them in arriving at more accurate decisions.

Speaking about the introduction of Hawk-Eye, umpire A. Sivakumar said the technology would provide officials with better tools to perform their duties. At the same time, he acknowledged that the availability of more advanced technology would make the job more demanding, as umpires would be expected to scrutinise decisions even more closely.

The combination of an experienced umpiring panel and modern decision-review technology underlines KCA’s ambition to give the Kerala Cricket League an increasingly professional structure.

With the third season set to begin, the KCL is now ready to offer fans not only competitive cricket but also officiating standards that mirror the demands of the modern game.