Tag: ICC Elite Panel of Umpires

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid said on Thursday it was a “great honour” to be named the first Bangladeshi to join the International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel of umpires.

Sharfuddoula, 47, who last year became the first umpire from Bangladesh to take charge of a World Cup match, had been on the international panel since 2006.

“It is a great honour to be named on the ICC Elite Panel,” Sharfuddoula said in an ICC statement.

“To be the first from my country on the panel makes it extra special and I look forward to justifying the faith shown in me.”

The elite umpire panel is responsible for officiating in the majority of men’s Tests and one-day internationals, with the match referee panel also overseeing Twenty20 internationals as well.

Former off-spinner Sharfuddoula was forced to end his first-class career after just one season in 2001 due to a back injury, and joined the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as its cricket operations manager.

He quit the BCB job to become an umpire and has so far overseen 10 Tests, 63 one-day internationals, and 44 Twenty20 internationals.

ICC chief Geoff Allardice called it “a well-deserved reward for many years of consistent performances”.

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On the panel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid joins three umpires from England — Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough — as well as Australians Paul Reiffel and Rodney Tucker.

Also on the panel are Kumar Dharmasena from Sri Lanka, Christopher Gaffaney from New Zealand, Adrian Holdstock from South Africa, Nitin Menon from India, Ahsan Raza from Pakistan and Joel Wilson from the West Indies.

The ICC also said England’s Chris Broad had stepped down from its elite panel of match referees.

Broad, who has been on the panel since 2003, has refereed 123 Tests, 361 ODIs, and 135 Twenty20 Internationals.

No explanation was given for Broad’s omission, other than a reduction in numbers, with Thursday’s announcement marking the end of the former England batsman’s 21 years on the elite match referee panel.

The 66-year-old presided over 123 Tests, 361 ODIs and 135 T20s. He also found fame with as the father of England pace-bowling great Stuart Broad.

The ICC’s elite panel of match referees is now made up of six members: David Boon of Australia, Jeff Crowe of New Zealand, Ranjan Madugalle of Sri Lanka, Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe, Richie Richardson of the West Indies, and Javagal Srinath of India.

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DUBAI: Renowned Pakistan-based umpire Aleem Dar has stepped down from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel of Umpires after 19 years.

Dar, who had been a part of the Elite Panel since its inception in 2002, officiated more Tests and ODIs than any other umpire and is second in T20Is, behind compatriot Ahsan.

As a result, Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza and South Africa’s Adrian Holdstock have been added to the panel after Dar stepped down. Their inclusion saw the number of umpires in the panel rose up to 12 from 11.

“South Africa’s Adrian Holdstock and Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza have been added to the ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires for 2023-24,” stated ICC in a press release on Thursday.

“The addition of Holdstock and Raza sees the number of umpires in the panel rise up to 12 from 11. The additions were overseen by the ICC Elite Umpire selection panel, headed by ICC General Manager – Cricket, Wasim Khan. Holdstock has officiated in five Tests, 42 ODIs and 48 T20Is. Raza has stood in seven Tests, 41 ODIs and 48 T20Is,” the statement added.

Aleem, who holds the record of officiating record 435 international matches reflected on his remarkable career and thanked his colleagues over the years.

“It has been a long journey, but I have enjoyed every bit of it. I have had the pleasure and honour of umpiring the world over and what I have achieved is something I did not even dream of when I started in the profession.

“Though I am still keen to continue as an international umpire, I felt it was now the right time, after 19 years on the road to step away from the Elite panel and provide an opportunity to someone from the International Panel. My message to umpires the world over is to work hard, maintain discipline and never stop learning.

“I thank the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and my colleagues on the panel for their support over the years. I would also like to thank my family; without whose support I could not have gone on for so long. I look forward to continuing to serve the game as an umpire.”

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