Trinidad and Tobago umpire Joel Wilson cut from ICC elite panel

TRINIDAD and Tobago umpire Joel Wilson has been ousted from the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel of umpires.

The ICC made the revelation via a media release on March 25, with Englishman Michael Gough also being cut from the elite panel alongside the 58-year-old Wilson.

The pair was replaced with Allahudien Paleker and Alex Wharf.

Both Gough and Wilson were promoted to the ICC’s elite panel for the 2019/20 season, with the latter racking up close to 300 matches across formats. Wilson’s first international match came in Kingston, Jamaica in 2011 when the West Indies played India in a One-day international (ODI).

Wilson has 140 men’s ODIs under his belt, to go along with 67 Tests and 71 Twenty/20 internationals. Wilson has also officiated in 32 women’s internationals (19 T20s and 13 ODIs).

ICC chairman Jay Shah said, “We would also like to place on record our sincere thanks to both Joel and Michael for their services to the world game, over a number of years.”

Wilson has officiated over 20 World Cup matches, and his last T20 game came at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in a match between the US and England at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

His last Test match was a February 2025 meeting between Australia and Sri Lanka, with the last ODI being an encounter between Afghanistan and England at the ICC Champions Trophy in Lahore, Pakistan last month.

Just last week, Wilson was in action at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair when he umpired the Premiership I and Premiership II finals in the 2025 CPL/TKR T20 Festival.

Shah backed Paleker and Wharf to do a sound job on the elite panel.

“By definition, being an elite official brings with it scrutiny and pressure, but we are confident that both Allahuddien and Alex possess the temperament, experience and skill to deliver consistently at this very top level," Shah said.

"On behalf of the ICC, I wish them all the best for the upcoming season as well as for the future.”

Paleker has officiated on-field in four Tests, 23 ODIs and 67 T20Is in men’s international cricket and a total of 17 women’s international games.

Wharf, who played 13 ODIs for England, has officiated on-field in seven Tests, 33 ODIs, and 45 T20Is in men’s international cricket.