Brandon Moyo
Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe international cricketer, turned umpire, Foster Mutizwa and renowned umpire Langton Rusere have been named as some of the umpires for the upcoming 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup starting next week in South Africa.
Mutizwa and Rusere are the only two Zimbabwean umpires who will be standing at the global showpiece from January 19 to February 11.
The two are a part of an experienced group of 16 umpires, and four match referees, who have been selected to officiate at the showcase, overseeing a total of 41 matches, featuring the best young cricketers on the planet.
Rusere’s first match will be on January 20 when defending champions India and 2020 runners-up Bangladesh meet in Bloemfontein.
Rusere will be the fourth umpire while Australia’s Donovan Koch and West Indies’ Nigel Duguid will take charge on-field.
The South African duo of Allahudien Palekar, and Shaaid Wadvalla, will come in as TV Umpire and Match Referee.
Mutizwa’s first assignment will be the first East London fixture which will be pitting Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He will be the TV umpire while Australia’s Phil Gillespie will be the fourth umpire.
ICC Manager for umpires and referees, Sean Easey, said:
“The U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is a very important event in the ICC calendar. It has long been considered a platform for future stars of the sport to make a name for themselves and for many of the participating players in this year’s edition; it is their first taste of competing on the world stage.
“Similarly, it is an important development event for the umpire pathway also. A diverse and motivated team of international match officials has been appointed, and I am confident that they will do an excellent job. I wish them the very best of luck across their time in South Africa.”
Mutizwa stood in his first international match in July 2021 in a T20I between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club.
Rusere has been part of the international set-up for close to a decade, having first stood in 2015 for a T20 match between Zimbabwe and India in Harare.
Rusere was part of the umpires in the historic New Year’s Test between South Africa and India at Newlands in Cape Town.
India won the match in just under two days in what became the shortest ever Test match in history.