International Cricket umpire Joel Wilson removed from ICC elite panel of umpires

West Indian cricket umpire Joel Wilson has been removed from the ICC’s elite panel of umpires for the 2025-26 calendar alongside Englishman Michael Gough.

Wilson is well known to Australian cricket fans, having been involved in multiple Ashes series and at the centre of game-defining controversies on several occasions.

He and Gough, who umpired Australia’s recent home series against India, have been replaced by South Africa’s Allahuddien Paleker and England’s Alex Wharf.

In 2024, Wilson - who was also one of the umpires who incorrectly reported Australian spinner Matthew Kuhnemann for an illegal bowling action during a Test series in Sri Lanka this year - had 35.4 per cent of his rulings overturned on review, meaning more than a third of the 82 of his decisions that were reviewed were wrong.

In comparison, fellow umpires Adrian Holdstock had 29.5 per cent of his decisions overturned, Australian Paul Reiffel had 24.7 per cent, and Kumar Dharmasena had 22.9 per cent of his decisions overturned.

However, Wilson’s most infamous decision came during Ben Stoke’s miracle in the third Test of the 2019 Ashes.

Chasing a ridiculous total with partners running out at Headingley, Stokes batted for 330 minutes to make 135 not out and drag his side to one of the greatest Ashes triumphs of all time with one wicket to spare.

However, it shouldn’t have happened when Australian spinner Nathan Lyon struck the left-hander on the pad in front of the stumps with England still behind the score.

Wilson buckled under pressure, giving a not-out decision that, had Australia not wasted their reviews earlier in the day, it would have been convincingly overturned, changing the fate of the series.

Four years later, in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval in 2023, the 58-year-old again changed the course of the Ashes.

With Australia chasing an improbable 384 runs for victory in the final four sessions of the contest, David Warner and Usman Khawaja put together their best opening partnership of the series, cruising along to 140 without loss.

With England desperate for a breakthrough, now skipper Stokes turned to the umpires for a ball change, and Wilson obliged, selecting a ball that appeared much newer and reportedly was part of an older batch of balls known for swing and seam.

The change worked wonders for the home side, who took three wickets in seven overs with the changed ball en route to a 49-run win that salvaged a series draw.

Wilson leaves the game having officiated in 67 Tests, 140 One-Day Internationals and 71 T20 Internationals.

Australian umpires Reiffel and Rod Tucker, who has been a member since 2010, remain on the ICC’s elite panel of umpires.

ICC chair Jay Shah thanked the outgoing pair before welcoming Wharf and Paleker.

“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,” he said in a statement.