Claire Polosak To Become First Female Umpire To Officiate In Men's ODI

Claire Polosak's name will be etched in history on Saturday (April 27) as she is set to become the first female umpire to officiate in a men's One-Day International (ODI). The 31-year-old Australian will break the gender barrier in the final of the World Cricket League Division 2 match, between Oman and Namibia. Claire Polosak on being appointed was left elated and said she wouldn't have made it so far without the support of her husband.

"We go out there to umpire. Not to get a final appointment, but to be a part of a team, to be involved in the game," Polosak told ICC.

"It's really to do with the partners you work with all the way through. Right from my local association - NSW umpires and scorers - as well as parents and my partner, Evans, my husband, without whose support there's no way I'd be here today," she added.

Polosak became the first on-field female umpire to officiate a men's domestic game in Australia in 2017.

Her other major achievements include officiating 15 women's ODIs, and being a part of the team that stood in the 2018 ICC T20 Women's World Cup, including in the semi-final between England and India.

The Goulburn, New South Wales-born umpire also officiated in four matches at the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 and holds the distinction of being one of two female umpires, along with Eloise Sheridan, who officiated together for the first time in a competitive game on Australian soil during the WBBL in 2018.