Umpire in cricket is a person who holds the authority to make verdicts regarding the sports as per the Laws of Cricket. An umpire is not a member of any of the teams. It is a demanding job that requires quick-decision making and immense concentration. They are the ones who appeal for wickets, boundaries, maximums and also announce the completion of an over.

Umpires play a pivotal role in cricket ensuring fair play. The umpire salary is one of the topics of interest and in this article, we delve into how much umpires earn in international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).  

Overview of umpiring roles

Earlier, there were only two umpires standing on the field during a cricket match. Meanwhile, in the modern game, there may be more than two umpires and their roles vary depending on their position on the field and the type of match being played. In addition, the International cricket Council (ICC0 has three panels of umpires. They are the Elite Panel of Umpires, International Panel of Umpires and the Development Panel of ICC Umpires. Professional matches have a match referee, which is an administrative role to oversee the match’s conduct. Their responsibilities include- ensuring the match adheres to the ICC Code of Conduct, handling disciplinary fines and monitoring over rates.

• On-field umpires: There are two umpires present on the field- one at the bowler’s end and the other at square leg. Their responsibilities include making decisions on dismissals via LBWs, catches and run-outs. They also oversee the conduct of players and keep a record of number of balls bowled, no-balls, and wides.
• Third umpire (TV umpire): A TV umpire is hired just to monitor video footage. They will make decisions on referrals like, run-outs, stumpings or boundary calls using technology. TV umpires also assist on-field umpires with reviews under the Decision Review System (DRS).
• Fourth umpire: Fourth umpire will also be present at the ground but does not directly make any decisions during the match. They assist on-field and third umpires with logistical duties and handle player and team disciple issues.  

International cricket umpire salary

The salary of an umpire officiating an international cricket match is higher than that of their counterpart working in domestic cricket. In the one-day international format, an umpire generally earns around $3000 per match. Meanwhile, in Test cricket, umpire’s salary is $5000 per match. The umpire will get the whole salary even if the match ends before the fifth day. In addition, the umpires officiating Twenty 20 International (T20I) matches will get a remuneration of $1500 per match.

Top 5 cricket umpire salaries

IPL umpire salary

Indian Premier League (IPL), organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is one of the lucrative franchise cricket tournaments in the world. Umpires in the cash-rich league receive a staggering amount as remuneration along with other seasonal earnings from the tournament. 

Top 5 umpires with the highest salary in IPL

Conclusion

The role of umpires in cricket is crucial as they are the one who make decisions on conducts and thereby uphold the rules of the sport. Umpire’s remuneration in international cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL) reflect the acknowledgement of the work they do. Umpire salary varies based on their experience, format of the game they are officiating and also the cricket governing body they are part of. Umpires impact on the game is invaluable and their compensation will be evolving inorder to make them motivated to maintain high standards.