Steve Bucknor

Calcutta: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday that Jamaican Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar from Pakistan will be the two on-field umpires for the ICC World Cup final between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, according to a press release.

Dar will be the second Pakistani — after Mahboob Shah — to officiate in a World Cup final. Shah did so in the company of India’s Ram Babu Gupta in 1987.

While announcing the appointments, ICC also said that Rudi Koertzen of South Africa will be the third umpire. The fourth umpire is New Zealand’s Brent Bowden and the Match Referee will be former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe.

Bucknor, 60, will be making an unprecedented fifth successive appearance in a World Cup final, having stood in the last match of the 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2003 editions.

Aleem Dar

The only officials who come close to that mark are Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird (1975, 1979 and 1983) and David Shepherd (1996, 1999 and 2003), who both stood in three finals.

Jeff Crowe becomes only the fourth man to act as Match Referee in the World Cup final after Peter Burge of Australia (1992), former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd (1996) and Sri Lankan Ranjan Madugalle (1999 and 2003).

Most on-field appearances in finals: Steve Bucknor 4 (1992, 1996, 1999, 2003); David Shepherd 3 (1996, 1999, 2003); Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird 3 (1975, 1979, 1983); Barrie Meyer 2 (1979, 1983); Brian Aldridge 1 (1992); RB Gupta 1 (1987); Mahboob Shah 1 (1987); Tom Spencer 1 (1975).