Good Sports: ANOTHER FIRST FOR CRICKET REFEREE
India’s G. S. Lakshmi made history last month as the first female match referee to oversee a men’s One-Day International. She refereed the opening match of the third series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in the United Arab Emirates. The United States beat UAE by three wickets in the December 8 match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
It was the second significant achievement for Lakshmi in 2019, following her appointment as the first woman on the ICC International Panel of Match Referees in May. The 51-year old, who first officiated as a match referee in domestic women’s cricket in 2008-09, has now overseen three women’s ODI matches, 16 men’s T20 Internationals, and seven women’s T20 Internationals.
“It feels great,” Lakshmi said. “Anything assigned ‘first’ to your name, it gives me a sense of pride actually. It really feels great to be officiating at this level.”
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
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