LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced that ICC’s international panel umpire Michael Gough will travel to Lahore to supervise matches of the forthcoming HBL Pakistan Super League.

“Gough, 39, will umpire in the March 9 and 10 matches between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United, and Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, respectively, as he will not go to Karachi for the remaining five matches of the PSL to be played there, including the final. Appointments for the play-off and knockout matches will be made closer to the event, but the March 12 Eliminator 1 between Team 3 and Team 4 will be the last match Lahore will stage in the 2019 edition,” a PCB press release issued here on Friday said.

“Gough, a former first-class cricketer for Durham, has officiated in eight Tests, 49 ODIs and 13 T20 Internationals since making his international debut in August 2013. But Gough will appear in the PSL for the first time. He will also officiate some matches in the UAE leg of PSL. The fourth edition of the PSL is to be held in UAE and Pakistan from Feb 14 to March 17.

“Also umpiring in the PSL 2019 from the ICC’s international panel will be Sri Lanka’s Ranmore Martinesz. The 51-year-old will complete a hat-trick of appearances in the PSL and will be based in Karachi after completing his UAE assignments. Martinesz, who played four first-class matches in the 1994-95 season, has umpired in eight Tests, 46 ODIs and 29 T20Is.

“Apart from Gough and Martinesz, world’s 35 top performers, including AB de Villiers, have confirmed their participation in the Pakistan-leg matches,” the release added.

The press release added that world renowned Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar, however, will not be making a presence in the 2019 edition due to his family engagements.

Roshan Mahanama, one of the most popular match officials and a regular visitor to Pakistan in Sri Lanka’s early days, will lead the match officials’ list, which also includes Prof Anees Sheikh and Prof Javed Malik, said the PCB.

Meanwhile, the PCB also confirmed the three-person event technical committee, which will be headed by Mudassar Nazar and will also include Dr Sohail Saleem and Usman Wahla.

The complete umpiring panel for the PSL 2019 comprises Richard Illingworth, Gough, Martinesz and Pakistani umpires namely Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, Rashid Riaz and Shozab Raza.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2019