When it comes to Bangladeshi umpires in recent times, the first name that comes to mind is Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat. Recently, he came into the spotlight again after umpiring in the India-Australia Test match as a member of the ICC Elite Panel.
Now, this Bangladeshi umpire is ready to showcase his skills on the global stage once again. The ICC has announced the list of 15 match officials for the Champions Trophy, and Sharfuddoula is among them.
The 48-year-old umpire will depart for the host country, Pakistan, after the conclusion of the BPL.
This year, Pakistan, in partnership with the UAE, will host the tournament, which will run from February 19 to March 9.
Among the selected umpires, six had officiated in the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, including Richard Kettleborough, who was one of the umpires in the final.
The other returning umpires are Chris Gaffaney, Kumar Dharmasena, Richard Illingworth, Paul Reiffel, and Rod Tucker.
The six new umpires for the 2025 edition include Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Ahsan Raza, Sharfuddoula, Alex Wharf, and Joel Wilson.
On the other hand, there will be three match referees: Australia's David Boon, Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle, and Zimbabwe's Andy Pycroft. However, there will be no Indian match officials.
Sharfuddoula began his international umpiring career in 2010 and became the first Bangladeshi umpire to join the ICC Elite Panel in March last year. Since then, he has been officiating in a series of ICC tournaments.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
