LAHORE, :By Sohail Ali
Pakistan Cricket Board. has appointed ICC Elite panelist Aleem Dar and PCB International panelist Ahsan Raza as the on-field umpires in all three Tests of the Pakistan versus Australia series, while ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle will lead the Playing Control Team.
Madugalle, the former Sri Lanka captain, is the only match referee to break the 200-match mark as he has to date refereed in 201 Tests. Aleem Dar, the three-time ICC Umpire of the Year, leads the umpires’ pack with 136 matches.
Asif Yaqoob, PCB Umpire of 2020 and 2021, will be the third umpire in the first and third Tests, while Rashid Riaz will be in the TV umpire’s box for the second Test.
Ahsan Raza, Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz will share on-field umpires’ responsibilities, while Muhammad Javed Malik will be the match referee for the three ODIs, which will be played on 29 March, 31 March and 2 April in Rawalpindi.
Aleem and Ahsan will reunite for the one-off 5 April T20I and Muhammad Javed Malik will be the match referee.
Umpire and match referee appointments:
4-8 Mar – 1st Test, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee)
12-16 Mar – 2nd Test, Karachi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee)
21-25 Mar – 3rd Test, Lahore. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee)
29 Mar – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Afridi (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
31 Mar – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
2 April – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
5 Apr – one-off T20I, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
