NEW DELHI: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid on Thursday expressed his immense pride at being appointed as the first Bangladeshi member of the International Cricket Council's Elite Panel of umpires, describing it as a "great honour".
Having officiated as an umpire from Bangladesh since 2006, Sharfuddoula, 47, achieved another significant milestone after becoming the first Bangladeshi umpire to officiate a World Cup match last year.
"It is a great honour to be named on the ICC Elite Panel," Sharfuddoula said in an ICC statement.
"To be the first from my country on the panel makes it extra special and I look forward to justifying the faith shown in me."
The elite umpire panel holds the responsibility of officiating in the majority of men's Tests and one-day internationals, while the match referee panel oversees Twenty20 internationals as well.
Former off-spinner Sharfuddoula's first-class cricket career ended prematurely after just one season in 2001 due to a back injury. He then transitioned to the role of cricket operations manager for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). However, driven by his passion for the game, he later pursued a career as an umpire.
Since joining the umpiring ranks, Sharfuddoula has officiated in 10 Tests, 63 one-day internationals, and 44 Twenty20 internationals.
ICC chief Geoff Allardice hailed Sharfuddoula's appointment, describing it as "a well-deserved reward for many years of consistent performances".
Sharfuddoula joins a distinguished panel of umpires, which includes three umpires from England -- Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth, and Richard Kettleborough -- as well as Australians Paul Reiffel and Rodney Tucker.
In a notable development, England's Chris Broad has stepped down from the International Cricket Council's elite panel of match referees. Broad, a stalwart on the panel since 2003, has officiated in an impressive 123 Tests, 361 ODIs, and 135 Twenty20 Internationals over his distinguished career.
The reason for Broad's departure from the panel was not explicitly stated, except for a general reduction in numbers. This announcement signifies the conclusion of Broad's remarkable 21-year tenure on the elite match referee panel. Beyond his officiating duties, Broad is recognized as the father of England's pace-bowling sensation, Stuart Broad.
With Broad's departure, the ICC's elite panel of match referees now consists of six members: David Boon from Australia, Jeff Crowe from New Zealand, Ranjan Madugalle from Sri Lanka, Andy Pycroft from Zimbabwe, Richie Richardson from the West Indies, and Javagal Srinath from India.
(With AFP inputs)
