The International Cricket Council has announced an unchanged elite panel of umpires for 2016-17. The ICC said its elite panel had recorded a correct-decision percentage of 95.6 – up from 94 in 2014-15 – in 220 matches across formats, the best since the Decision Review System was introduced in 2008.

Geoff Allardice, the chairman of the umpires selection panel, commended the elite panel for its achievements. “The elite panel has had an outstanding 12 months,” he said. “Based on the individual performances of each umpire, as well as their ability to work together as a group, the selectors have decided that the same 12 umpires deserve to be rewarded with appointment to the elite panel for 2016-2017.

“The selectors also noted the improved performances of some of the umpires on the international panel and expect them to be pushing for selection on the elite panel in years to come.”

Apart from Allardice, who is also the ICC general manager of cricket, the selection panel comprised chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle, the former England batsman David Lloyd, and the former India offspinner and elite panel umpire S Venkataraghavan.

Elite Panel of Umpires for 2016-17

Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Ian Gould (England), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nigel Llong (England), Bruce Oxenford (Australia), S Ravi (India), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Rod Tucker (Australia).

(Taken from ESPN Sports Media Ltd.)