LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday announced match officials for the senior team’s forthcoming home T20 series against New Zealand.

The five-match series is scheduled to be held from April 18 to 27 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Andy Pycroft, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of match referees, will lead the playing control team that includes five umpires, namely Ahsan Raza (elite panelist), Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz (all from ICC’s international panel), who will share umpiring responsibilities.

Former Zimbabwe Test batter Pycroft has to date refereed in 144 T20 Internationals. When he officiates in the second T20 on April 20, he will move ahead of Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle in second place in the list of match referees to officiate in most T20Is. The list is headed by New Zealand’s Jeff Crowe (175).

The Pindi Cricket Stadium will stage the opening three T20s on April 18, 20 and 21 before the action moves to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium where the last two matches will be played on April 25 and 27.

Umpire and match referee appointments:

First T20, April 18: Ahsan Raza and Aleem Dar (on-field umpires), Faisal Afridi (TV umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Andy Pycroft (match referee)

Second T20, April 20: Asif Yaqoob and Aleem Dar (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (TV umpire), Faisal Afridi (fourth umpire); Pycroft (match referee)

Third T20, April 21: Ahzan Raza and Asif Yaqoob (on-field umpires), Rashid Riaz (TV umpire), Aleem Dar (fourth umpire); Pycroft (match referee)

Fourth T20, April 25: Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (TV umpire), Ahsan Raza (fourth umpire); Pycroft (match referee)

Fifth T20, April 27: Rashid Riaz and Faisal Afridi (on-field umpires), Aleem Dar (TV umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Pycroft (match referee).

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2024