Former ICC umpire Asad Rauf dead at 66

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

International Cricket Council’s former umpire Asad Rauf passed away in Lahore on Wednesday evening after suffering from a cardiac arrest, his family confirmed.

The 66-year-old Rauf, who had hung up his cap nearly a decade ago, ran a shop in Lahore.

On Wednesday evening, he closed his shop and was heading home when he suddenly complained of sharp pain in his chest. The pain turned out to be a heart attack which proved fatal.

His demise was confirmed by his brother, Tahir.

The umpire’s family said that details for a funeral would be announced later.

Top umpire

A cricketer who turned officiator, Rauf was among the top umpires in the world, along with Pakistan’s Aleem Dar.

While his playing career never progressed beyond the domestic circuit, it did not stop him from hanging around the game. In 1998 he shed the pads and donned the Panama hat of umpires, officiating his maiden first-class match.

His sharp eye, ears and deep understanding of the game and its rules saw him officiate his first One Day International in February 2000 against Sri Lanka.

By 2004, Rauf was included in the international panel of umpires. The following year, the ICC appointed him to officiate in his first test match – Bangladesh versus Zimbabwe.

The year after, Rauf was elevated to ICC’s elite panel of umpires. This meant that he could umpire in major tournaments, including the ICC World Twenty20 in September 2012.

Rauf went on to officiate 49 test matches, 98 ODIs, and 23 Twenty20 internationals.

His stint as one of the top umpires in the world came to an end in 2013 following an unfavorable annual performance review of his work.

Having lost his spot on the elite panel, Rauf decided to hang up his hat for international matches. He turned to his long-established business of selling pre-loved shoes and clothes in a thrift store.