Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth Named On-Field Umpires for ICC World Test Championship Final

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the match officials for the highly anticipated ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between Australia and India, to be held at The Oval in London from June 7-11. Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand and Richard Illingworth from England have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the ultimate test match.

Chris Gaffaney, aged 48, will be officiating in his 49th Test match, while Richard Illingworth, aged 59, will be overseeing his 64th outing in the longest format of the game. Interestingly, Illingworth had also served as an umpire in the first WTC Final two years ago, where New Zealand emerged victorious with an eight-wicket win against India in Southampton, as revealed by the ICC in a statement.

Joining them in the officiating team is another English umpire, Richard Kettleborough, who has been appointed as the TV umpire for the second consecutive WTC Final. Kumar Dharmasena from Sri Lanka has been designated as the fourth umpire for the match, as stated in the release.

The match referee for the WTC Final will be Richie Richardson from the West Indies, who will be responsible for ensuring fair play and adherence to the ICC's Code of Conduct.

To account for any potential time lost due to unfavorable weather or other unforeseen circumstances, June 12 has been set as the reserve day for the WTC Final.

With the experienced and highly competent team of officials in place, the stage is set for a thrilling clash between Australia and India, as they battle it out for the prestigious title of World Test Champions. The cricketing world eagerly awaits the outcome of this momentous encounter at The Oval.