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Indian cricket fans cheered on as Richard Kettleborough’s absence from the India-New Zealand clash in Champions Trophy 2025 Final brought a sense of relief to them.
Richard Kettleborough will not take the field during India Vs New Zealand Champions Trophy Final 2025 on Sunday, much to the delight of fans. (News18 Hindi/AP | X screenshot)
India will take on New Zealand in the much-anticipated final of Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday but the absence of umpire Richard Kettleborough from the field has already brought plenty of cheer among Indian fans. The Men in Blue ably led by Rohit Sharma booked their berth in the final after beating the Aussies in the semi-finals at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday. Virat Kohli led from the front with a calm and collected 84 off 98 deliveries while chasing the target of 265 set by Australia after winning the toss. In the end, India won by 4 wickets and as many as 11 deliveries to spare. New Zealand, the second finalists, on the other hand, were ruthless to South Africa in the second semi-final wherein Kiwis posted a gigantic score of 362/6. Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra posted impressive hundreds as the Proteas could only accumulate 312/9 in response.
With India facing off the Black Caps in the summit clash on Sunday, ICC umpire Richard Kettleborough became the top trend on X in India late Thursday night. But why?
The Richard Kettleborough Curse
If cricket isn’t your domain, Kettleborough has been the on-field umpire in massive heartbreaks where India found themselves on the losing end. India losing to Sri Lanka in 2014 T20 World Cup Final? Kettleborough was there. Or when India faced a massive defeat to Australia in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. Kettleborough was there too. Where was Kettleborough when West Indies defeated India in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final? On the field. Richard Kettleborough was even there when India faced a loss to arch-rivals Pakistan in the forgettable 2017 Champions Trophy Final.
Richard Kettleborough – MS Dhoni
Perhaps the most iconic (haunting) memory of Kettleborough being in the middle of it all was when India took on New Zealand in the haunting 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final. With all eyes pinned on Mahendra Singh Dhoni to help India reach the target of 240 at the Old Trafford Stadium, there was a moment of brilliance by Martin Guptill that left the entire nation stunned. Watching the drama unfolding from only a few metres away, Kettleborough was right there and his expression said it all.
With India still needing 25 runs off 10 deliveries, and Dhoni on the crease, India were very much in the game until Guptill arrived. Dhoni chipped one on the leg side for a couple. Though he sprinted and completed the first run in a flash, a slight bit of hesitation for the second one found him struggling to reach the keeper’s end. This was when Guptill appeared out of nowhere to return a lightning-quick throw aimed directly at the stumps that saw Dhoni short of the crease. This pretty much meant India’s dreams of lifting another trophy under Dhoni’s leadership were over. Heartbreak was everywhere. So was Kettleborough during India’s losses on big match days.
Reactions to Richard Kettleborough’s absence
“Good news,” wrote one delighted fan. “Not Richard bhai..some relief for team india,” a relieved user, reacting to the news, wrote. “He’s not there thank god.” “Experienced umpires but people were looking for Richard Kettleborough.”
Who is officiating India-NZ Final?
Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth will take the field when India take on New Zealand in the blockbuster final of the Champions Trophy 2025. While Joel Wilson and Kumar Dharmasena will be the third and fourth umpires respectively.
“Paul Reiffel and Richard Illingworth, both members of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand to be played in Dubai on Sunday,” a media release by the ICC read.
“Both stood in the semi-finals, with Illingworth in the middle for India’s four-wicket win over Australia and Reiffel overseeing the Black Caps’ 50-run victory over South Africa the following day,” the release further stated.
