The best of South African cricket officiating will be on display in SA20 Season 4, with Cricket South Africa confirming a strong and experienced panel of match officials for the upcoming edition of the league.
The tournament gets underway on Boxing Day, December 26, 2025, at Newlands in Cape Town, and will feature 18 umpires and six match referees across the six-team competition.
Elite ICC umpires headline Season 4 panel
The officiating group is headlined by ICC Elite Panel umpires Allahudien Paleker and Adrian Holdstock, both of whom bring vast international experience to the league. They are joined by fellow ICC International Panel umpires Lauren Agenbag, Stephen Harris, Lubabalo Gcuma, Arno Jacobs and Bongani Jele, reinforcing the quality and depth of the panel.
Former ICC Umpire of the Year Marais Erasmus also returns for Season 4, adding further pedigree to the officiating setup. Erasmus has officiated in 267 international matches, making him one of the most experienced umpires involved in the competition.
Paleker, who has stood in 161 T20 matches, comes into the tournament as the reigning Cricket South Africa (CSA) Umpire of the Year, while Abdoellaah Steenkamp, the current CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year, is also part of the panel.
Lauren Agenbag continues rise on international stage
Agenbag, who is part of the ICC Emerging Umpires Group, continues her rise on the global stage. She recently officiated at the ICC Women’s World Cup, standing in the high-profile semifinal between hosts India and Australia in New Mumbai.
Her inclusion once again underlines SA20’s commitment to recognising and developing top officiating talent.
New faces set for SA20 debuts
Regular SA20 officials Mazizi Gampu, Siphelele Gasa, Thomas Mokorosi, Dennis Smith and Brad White all return for Season 4. They will be joined by Andre Olivier and Warren Wyngaard, two promising young umpires who are set to make their league debuts this season.
Matches will be played across six venues — Boland Park, Centurion, Kingsmead, Newlands, St George’s Park and the Wanderers.
Stephen Cook praises officiating standards
Head of SA20 Cricket Operations Stephen Cook highlighted the importance of strong match officiating to the league’s success.
“Match officiating plays a crucial role in the success and integrity of the SA20. The League is proud to have secured the best available South African match officials for Season 4. The rise in status of our officials on the international stage is testimony to the backing and investment we’ve made.”
Cook added that the panel offers a strong blend of experience and emerging talent and expressed confidence that the officials will represent the league with distinction on the global stage.
Umpire exchange programme continues
Former England Test allrounder Ian Blackwell will also feature as part of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Umpire Exchange Programme. Blackwell will officiate in three matches this season, following Arno Jacobs’ participation in The Hundred earlier this year.
Match referees confirmed
The six-member match referees panel includes Rudi Birkenstock, Shandre Fritz and Gerrie Pienaar — all from the ICC International Panel — along with Clifford Isaacs, Barry Lambson and Laurence Matroos.
Full Umpires List – SA20 Season 4
Lauren Agenbag, Ian Blackwell (England – Umpire Exchange Programme), Marais Erasmus, Mazizi Gampu, Siphelele Gasa, Lubabalo Gcuma, Stephen Harris, Adrian Holdstock, Arno Jacobs, Bongani Jele, Thomas Mokorosi, Andre Olivier, Allahudien Paleker, Dennis Smith, Abongile Sodumo, Abdoellaah Steenkamp, Brad White, Warren Wyngaard.
Full Match Referees List
Rudi Birkenstock, Shandre Fritz, Clifford Isaacs, Barry Lambson, Laurence Matroos, Gerrie Pienaar.