Ahsan Raza has been promoted to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. Mr. Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, has congratulated him on this achievement and thanked Aleem Dar for his nearly 20 years of service as a member of the elite panel and for promoting Pakistan as a friendly and positive nation.
Ahsan is the first umpire to officiate in 50 T20 International matches. He has been a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires since 2010. He has officiated in a total of 72 T20Is, seven Tests, and 41 ODIs.
Aleem Dar, a fellow countryman, who joined the renowned group in 2004, will be replaced on the panel by Ahsan Raza. A world record 435 international games, including a record 144 Tests, 222 ODIs, and 69 T20Is, were officiated by Aleem. From 2009 to 2011, Aleem earned the ICC Umpire of the Year award three times in a row.
Mr Najam Sethi: “It is a moment of great pride and joy for the whole nation that Ahsan Raza has become the third Pakistan umpire to be appointed to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. I want to congratulate Ahsan on this wonderful achievement, and I am sure he will continue to work hard with dedication and passion to enhance the image and profile of this noble profession.
“Ahsan is a great inspiration for many young and upcoming umpires, and his elevation demonstrates we have talented umpires in Pakistan who are skilled enough to break into the top category. I hope we at the PCB will continue to utilise his expertise, knowledge and experience in our domestic and international matches.
“I also want to congratulate Aleem Dar on his successful career as an elite panellist. He was the first Pakistani to become a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires way back in 2004, and since then, he has established himself as one of the most respected and highly-qualified umpires in the business.
“Throughout his outstanding career, he earned worldwide appreciation and accolades through his work ethic, undivided commitment to the game, good decision-making and excellent man-management skills. He will remain as one of the best and finest to have ever served on the elite panel.
“Aleem has been a role model for umpires across generations. The PCB will be very fortunate to make the most of his presence and availability by integrating him into our system so that he can groom, mentor and tutor young umpires, which, in turn, will help in significant improvement in the quality of umpiring in our domestic cricket and also produce umpires who can go on to represent Pakistan in the international and elite panels.”
