Online Desk: Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat has become the first Bangladeshi umpire to be named in the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires following the International Cricket Council’s annual review and selection process.

He has been elevated from the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires by a selection panel consisting of ICC General Manager – Cricket, Wasim Khan (Chair), former player and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, retired New Zealand umpire Tony Hill, and consultant officiating expert Mike Riley.

Saikat has been on the International Panel since 2006 and his first international appointment was an ODI between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at Mirpur in January 2010.

He has been an on-field umpire in 10 Men’s Test Matches, 63 Men’s ODIs and 44 Men’s T20Is.  He has also featured on-field in 13 Women’s ODI matches and 28 Women’s T20Is.

Sharfuddoula, whose assignments include the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cups in 2017 and 2021, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2018, said he was excited at his inclusion in the Elite panel.

Saikat, in a reaction, said, “It is a great honour to be named on the ICC Elite Panel. 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. I have had a fair bit of experience over the years and am ready for more challenging assignments.”

“I would like to thank the ICC and the BCB for backing me and my other colleagues for all their help and guidance. I would also like to thank my family and friends for standing by and supporting me,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees has been reduced from seven members to six, with Chris Broad not included in the panel for 2024-25.

Broad, who had been on the panel since 2003, has refereed 123 Test Matches, 361 ODIs and 135 Twenty20 Internationals, as well as 15 Women’s Twenty20 Internationals. He officiated in four ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups, four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, “I would like to congratulate Saikat for his inclusion on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, and to acknowledge his achievement of being the first umpire from Bangladesh to be selected on this panel. This is a well-deserved reward for many years of consistent performances in international matches and ICC tournaments.”

Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees: David Boon (Australia), Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka), Andrew Pycroft (Zimbabwe), Richie Richardson (West Indies), Javagal Srinath (India).

Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Michael Gough (England), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Joel Wilson (West Indies).