Sports News | Ahsan Raza Promoted to ICC Elite Panel of Umpires

Karachi, Mar 16 (PTI) Pakistan's long-serving Test umpire, Aleem Dar has been replaced by countryman Ahsan Raza on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Elite Panel of umpires.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Thursday that Raza had been promoted to the ICC Elite Panel.

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Raza, who had a second lease of life after being shot by militants during their attack on the team bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers and match officials in March, 2009 in Lahore, has served on the ICC International Panel of Umpires since 2010 and is the first to reach the 50 T20I-mark as an umpire.

Raza had to undergo life-saving surgery after the bullets damaged his lungs, but he returned to umpiring after a one-year break.

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Overall, he has officiated in 72 T20Is, seven Tests and 41 ODIs.

Raza is the senior-most Pakistani umpire behind Aleem Dar, who has served on the Elite Panel since 2004.

Aleem officiated in a world-record 435 international matches, including a record 144 Tests, 222 ODIs, and 69 T20Is.

Aleem won the 'ICC Umpire of the Year award' for three successive years from 2009.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)