Bangladesh umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid on Thursday expressed deep gratitude as he was named the first Bangladeshi to grace the prestigious panel of umpires of the International Cricket Council.
At the age of 47, Sharfuddoula made cricket history last year already by officiating a World Cup match, marking a major milestone for Bangladesh cricket. His journey to this pinnacle began in 2006 when he joined the international panel.
In a statement released by the ICC, Sharfuddoula commented: “It is a great honor to be included in the ICC’s elite panel. Being a pioneer from my homeland adds to the significance of this achievement and I am determined to confirm this achievement. trust me.”
The elite panel, responsible for overseeing most of the men’s Tests and ODIs, along with T20Is, now welcomes Sharfuddoula among its esteemed members. His remarkable journey, starting with his forced retirement from first-class cricket due to injury to his current peak as an elite umpire, exemplifies resilience and dedication.
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Geoff Allardice, the ICC chief, praised Sharfuddoul’s consistent performances over the years and claimed the recognition was a well-deserved reward.
Sharfuddoula joins a distinguished group of judges including Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth, and Richard Kettleborough of England, along with Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker of Australia, among others.
In a parallel development, England’s Chris Broad bid farewell to the ICC’s elite panel of umpires after a remarkable tenure of 21 years. The decision came as part of downsizing and left behind a legacy marked by his remarkable leadership of 123 Tests, 361 ODIs and 135 T20Is.
The vacancy left by Broad’s departure is now filled by a select group of match referees, including David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson, and Javagal Srinath, representing cricketing nations worldwide.
