Top 10 Best Umpire in Cricket – (Updated 2025)

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. It has been played for a considerable amount of time now. Born in England, Cricket has garnered a massive fan base around every corner of the world. The sport has also witnessed many legends who have graced it with their brilliance. Just like batters, bowlers, and fielders, umpires also play a huge role in the game. It won’t be wrong to say that without the umpires, cricket can never be played fairly. However, the job isn’t easy for them as they have to make split-second decisions while millions of eyes are set on them. While making crucial decisions, they also have to make sure that the game is being played fairly and nobody is breaking the spirit of the game.

Just like some legendary cricketers, some legendary umpires have left an unforgettable mark on the sport. They have earned the respect of the players and the fans as well. But it’s pretty hard to be an umpire, as if a decision goes wrong, they have to face the wrath of the players and the fans as well, which creates a lot of pressure on them. However, remaining calm and composed in situations like these makes an umpire a legend of the game. On that note, let’s take a look at the world best umpire in cricket who has done umpiring in international cricket and has also covered the Indian Premier League (IPL).

How We Analyze the Best Umpire in Cricket - Major Facts

A set of ranking factors has been devised to establish who is the best cricket umpire in the world, so that we can rank these umpires fairly and without any bias.

• Decision Accuracy Rate: The percentage of correct on-field decisions, especially those upheld after DRS reviews, is a core performance metric. Paying attention to the game and making the correct decisions is one of the most important aspects of umpiring, which they have mastered. It becomes the primary metric to rank the world best umpire in cricket.
• Number of International Matches Officiated: Reflects experience and trust from the ICC across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Some of the umpires have done the job in more than 200 matches, but some are there who have done it for fewer than 200 games. However, the kind of expertise they held during the matches showed their impact and the knowledge they hold about the game.
• ICC Elite Panel Tenure: The long-standing members of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires have demonstrated top-level consistency and have been considered while ranking the best umpire in cricket history.
• Major Tournament Appearances: Officiating in World Cup finals, ICC tournaments, or high-pressure games adds to an umpire’s credibility, and only the top cricket umpire gets the chance to stand as an umpire in such crucial games.
• Calmness Under Pressure: The ability to make accurate, composed decisions in high-stakes or emotionally charged moments is where the temperament of an umpire is judged the most, and such decisions become a landmark while establishing who the top cricket umpire is.
• Contribution to Umpiring Standards: Influence on modern umpiring through mentoring, training, or introducing best practices is what adds to the legacy of an umpire and makes him one of the most famous umpires in cricket.
• Awards & ICC Honours: ICC Umpire of the Year awards or other formal accolades add to the recognition of the umpire and make them more respectable in the fraternity.

Top 10 Best Umpire in Cricket 2025- Updated List

The list of the top 10 best umpire in cricket consists of some absolute legends when it comes to their umpiring skills and overall impact on the game, including Simon Taufel, Richard Illingworth, Aleem Dar, etc.

Who is the Best Umpire in Cricket 2025?

Many umpires in cricket are known for their on-field excellence in giving the correct decisions, which is a very difficult job to do, considering the amount of pressure they have to face. In real-time, it is an exceptional skill to judge whether the batsman is out or not, especially in lbw decisions, where every wrong decision could change the course of the game. Here is the answer to who is the best cricket umpire in the world.

10. David Shepherd | England | 265 Matches

David Shepherd is one of the few umpires who used to be jovial without compromising accuracy on the field. Shepherd also had a unique habit of lifting his one foot when the score of a team reached a multiple of 111. Apart from these, he was also known for training young umpires and guiding them. Shepherd has officiated in 92 Tests, 172 ODIs, and 1 T20I. The ICC Umpire of the Year Award is also known as the David Shepherd trophy, as a tribute to one of the best umpires the game has witnessed.

9. Billy Bowden | New Zealand | 308 Matches

The funniest and most unique umpire in the history of cricket is New Zealand’s Billy Bowden. He was known for his ‘crooked finger of doom’ for dismissals. He also has other distinctive signals for decisions like fours and sixes, which helped him to make an impact in the sport. He was one of the most favourite umpires of both fans and the cricketers themselves because of his on-field nature. Despite being unique and funny on the field, Bowden never compromised with accuracy. The New Zealand umpire officiated in 84 Tests, 200 ODIs, and 24 T20Is.

8. Steve Bucknor | West Indies | 309 Matches

Steve Bucknor is one of the best umpires in cricket history. He was the longest-serving umpire in the history of international cricket. However, he faced some controversies in his career, especially the 2008 India vs Australia series, but despite that, he remained a respected personality in the sport. Bucknor officiated in 128 Tests, 181 ODIs. He was one of the oldest members and had a fruitful career as an umpire. The entire cricket fraternity respects him for his outstanding knowledge of the game.

7. Rudi Koertzen | South Africa | 331 Matches

Rudi Koertzen comes from South Africa and was famous for his ‘slow death’ finger raise for dismissals. Koertzen has been featured in numerous ICC tournaments and multiple bilateral series. He has officiated in 100 Tests, 209 ODIs, and 14 T20Is. He started his umpiring career in 1981 and became a full-time umpire after 11 years. He had an international career of 18 years and officiated in more than 300 matches. He was one of the best in the business and knew the game in and out, which helped him make the correct decisions most of the time.

6. Kumar Dharmasena | Sri Lanka | 275 Matches

The cricketer-turned-umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, is one of the most renowned cricket umpires in the history of the game. Hailing from Sri Lanka, Dharmasena has featured in many international games. He has also been part of multiple ICC tournaments, which shows how experienced he is. Dharmasena has officiated in 91 Tests, 137 ODIs, and 47 T20Is. The Sri Lankan umpire was quite popular on the cricket ground as an umpire and was known for making some bold decisions on the field. He has won the ICC Umpire of the Year Award 2 times in his career.

5. Richard Illingworth | England | 216 Matches

Richard Illingworth, a former England player, has become one of cricket’s most trusted umpires and one of the best umpire in cricket. Since joining the ICC Elite Panel in 2013, he’s built a strong reputation for staying calm under pressure and making consistent, fair decisions. Illingworth has officiated in many important matches, including World Cups and major Test series. His hard work and dedication have earned him the ICC Umpire of the Year award 4 times: in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Players and fans respect him for his knowledge of the game and his fair approach on the field. It is a very big deal to win the ICC Award for three consecutive years, which shows his consistency as an umpire.

4. Richard Kettleborough | England | 242 Matches

Richard Kettleborough is one of the most respected and best umpire in cricket today. Originally from England, he played first-class cricket before moving into umpiring, where he quickly made a name for himself. Since joining the ICC Elite Panel in 2009, he’s been known for his calm attitude and clear decision-making on the field. Kettleborough has officiated in many big international matches, including World Cup games and finals. He was named ICC Umpire of the Year three years in a row, from 2013 to 2015, which shows just how highly regarded he is in the cricket world.

3. Marais Erasmus | South Africa | 249 Matches

Marais Erasmus is a well-known and respected cricket umpire from South Africa. He used to be a cricketer himself before becoming an umpire and has been part of the ICC Elite Panel since 2010. Erasmus is known for staying calm on the field and making fair and accurate decisions. He has officiated in many important matches like the ICC World Cup 2019 final, where the match got tied and went on to the best super over in cricket history. Players and fans trust him for his honesty and good judgment, and he has won the ICC Umpire of the Year award 3 times because of his excellent skills.

2. Aleem Dar | Pakistan | 448 Matches

Pakistan has produced many iconic cricketers, but they have also produced a legendary umpire, Aleem Dar. He has had a record-breaking career as he won the ICC umpire of the year award three times. He also has a record of officiating in the most number of Test matches. Dar is the second Asian on the list of the best umpire in cricket, and surprisingly, there is no best Indian umpire on the list. Dar has officiated in 145 Tests, 231 ODIs, and 72 T20Is. Aleem Dar has a record of officiating in more than 400 matches, which is no less than a huge achievement, making him the best umpire in cricket history. He was a part of the ICC elite panel where the cricket umpire salary is around $80,000 to $200,000 annually.

1. Simon Taufel | Australia | 282 Matches

Simon Taufel is one of the world best umpire in cricket. After his umpiring stint, he was shifted to the ICC’s main umpires panel, where he was recruited to teach and prepare the umpires for international cricket. There have been rare occasions where the captains challenged Taufel’s decision because of his consistency in delivering correct judgment on the field. He was, without any doubt, the best umpire in the cricket world. Taufel won the "Best Umpires' Award 5 times consecutively, which speaks highly about his hard work and dedication. He has officiated many iconic matches, like the semi-final and final of the ICC World Cup 2011, where the best cricketers in the world were competing against each other.

Who is the Best 3rd Umpire in Cricket of All Time?

Rod Tucker is considered to be the best 3rd umpire in cricket of all time. Tucker has plenty of experience in first-class cricket, where he used to play as an all-rounder before taking up the role of umpiring. He has a great experience as an international umpire of 396 international matches across the three formats, where he has been a 3rd umpire (TV umpire) in 137 matches, the most matches by any umpire. He has done a decent job as a 3rd umpire, where he has given many correct decisions and has been fair to the game of cricket. He has been very efficient as a TV umpire, which is a more difficult job than compared of an on-field umpire.

Conclusion

The game of cricket has seen some of the most talented umpires, and their judgment has been absolutely pinpoint accurate, making them one of the most reliable umpires in the game. It is widely considered that Simon Taufel, Richard Illingworth, and Aleem Dar are some of the best umpire in cricket. Although many other experienced umpires also had a lasting impact on the game, such as Dickie Bird, Ian Gould, Daryl Harper, etc. Their contribution is also immense and cannot be overlooked in the modern era.