KARACHI, Oct 11: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday nominated umpires Ahsan Raza and his unrelated namesake Shozab Raza to officiate alongside ICC officials in the five-match One-day International series between Pakistan and South Africa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The 39-year-old Ahsan, arguably the best umpire in the country after the celebrated Aleem Dar with experience of standing in eight ODIs and as many Twenty20 Internationals, would be supervising the last three games of the ODI series and both the T20s, while Shozab will stand as on-field umpire in the opening two ODIs and the first T20.
Shozab, the 48-year-old who has stood in two ODIs and four Twenty20 Internationals, will also be the reserve umpire during both the Tests which would be, as usual officiated by ICC elite panel match officials. Ahsan then would take Shozab’s role in the first two ODIs before Zameer Haider takes the baton for the remaining ODIs.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced that Rod Tucker and his Australian compatriot Paul Reiffel be officiating in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Tests alongside Ian Gould of England.
Richard Illingworth of England and Australia’s Steve Davis would be seen during the ODI series.
The ICC match referees are Australia’s David Boon and Ranjan Madugalle of Sri Lanka.
The limited-overs matches from Oct 30 with the first ODI in Sharjah and concludes with the second Twenty20 in Dubai on Nov 15.
Following is the roster of umpires/match referees’ postings:
Oct 14-18: First Test in Abu Dhabi (umpires: Rod Tucker and Paul Reiffel; TV umpire: Ian Gould; reserve umpire: Shozab Raza; match referee: David Boon).
Oct 23-27: Second Test in Dubai (umpires: Rod Tucker and Ian Gould; TV umpire: Paul Reiffel; reserve umpire: Shozab Raza; match referee: David Boon).
Oct 30: First ODI in Sharjah (umpires: Shozab Raza and Richard Illingworth; TV umpire: Steve Davis; reserve umpire: Ahsan Raza; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 1: Second ODI in Dubai (umpires: Shozab Raza and Steve Davis; TV umpire: Richard Illingworth; reserve umpire: Ahsan Raza; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 6: Third ODI in Abu Dhabi (umpires: Ahsan Raza and Richard Illingworth; TV umpire: Steve Davis; reserve umpire: Zameer Haider; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 8: Fourth ODI in Abu Dhabi (umpires: Ahsan Raza and Steve Davis; TV umpire: Richard Illingworth; reserve umpire: Zameer Haider; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 11: Fifth ODI in Sharjah (umpires: Ahsan Raza and Richard Illingworth; TV umpire: Steve Davis; reserve umpire: Zameer Haider; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 13: First T20 International in Dubai (umpires: Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza; TV umpire: Zameer Haider; reserve umpire: Ahmed Shahab; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
Nov 15: Second T20 International in Dubai (umpires: Ahsan Raza and Zameer Haider; TV umpire: Ahmed Shahab; reserve umpire: Qaiser Waheed; match referee: Ranjan Madugalle).
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