Colombo: International cricket umpire Asif Yakub from Pakistan has been appointed to the team of match officials for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 to be held from July 17 to August 8.

A member of the ICC Emerging Umpires Panel, Yakub has officiated in 149 international matches across men’s and women’s cricket formats.

The 52-year-old also has extensive experience in T20s, having umpired 267 matches, which has led him to be selected as one of the umpires for the upcoming LPL 2026, where he will join the likes of Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena on the ICC’s elite panel of umpires.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugale will lead the match refereeing panel for the five-team series comprising of Graeme Labruy, Wendell Labruy, Manoj Mendis and Pradeep Jayaprakash.

LPL 2026 officially kicks off on July 17, with the 2024 final between defending champions Jaffna Kings and runners-up Galle Gallants, the last edition of the competition.

The opening match will be staged under lights at the Sinhala Sports Club ground in Colombo, which recently hosted its first T20 international during this year’s T20 World Cup.

The SSC will hold three-day matches (July 17-19) before the tournament moves to Dambulla, followed by Kandy.

The league stage then returns to Colombo, with the knockout matches and the final r. Scheduled at Premadasa Maidan. A reserve day has been set aside for the final on August 9.

The 2026 edition will feature five teams namely Jaffna Kings, Colombo Cops, Kandy Royals, Galle Gallants and Tambullai Sixers.

LPL 2026 Match Jury

• Ranjan Madhugalle – ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees

• Graeme LeBruy – ICC’s emerging group of match referees

• Wendell Labruy – ICC International Match Umpires

• Manoj Mendis – SLC is a growing group of match referees

• Pradeep Jayaprakash – SLC is a growing team of tournament referees

LPL 2026 Jury

• Kumar Dharmasena – ICC Elite Panel of Umpires

• Wayne Knights – ICC’s growing panel of referees

• Asif Yaqoob – ICC Emerging Umpires Panel

• Ravindra Vimalasiri – ICC International Umpire Committee

• Prakeeth Rambukwella – ICC International Referee Panel

• Ravindra Kotahachi – ICC International Umpire Committee

• Samara de Soyza – ICC International Referees Committee

• Asanga Nanayakkara – SLC is a growing panel of umpires

• Chandrika Amarasinghe – SLC Emerging Panel of Judges

• Hemantha Poteju – SLC Emerging Panel of Referees

• Shantha Fonseka – SLC is a growing panel of referees

• SPRL Tulsiri – SLC is a growing panel of referees

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