Asad Rauf, a former Pakistani elite panel umpire for the International Cricket Council (ICC), passed away on Thursday at the age of 66 following a heart failure in Lahore, according to ESPN Cricinfo.
Rauf played for National Bank and Railways during his lengthy first-class career as a middle-order hitter, averaging 28.76 from 71 first-class games, according to the journal. In his time as an umpire, Rauf presided over 139 ODIs, 28 T20Is, and 64 Tests, 49 of which he refereed on the field and 15 on television.
The former match official was among the most well-known umpires by the middle of the 2000s. He was elevated to the ICC’s top panel in 2006, a year after making his Test match officiating debut. He had served as an ODI panelist for the ICC since 2004. Before the period of neutral umpires, Rauf was one of those who helped elevate the reputation of Pakistani umpires with Naeem Dar. But Rauf’s career came to an abrupt end in 2013 when the Mumbai Police listed him as a “wanted to be accused” in an investigation into a spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he was refereeing the games.
Rauf left India before the end of that season of Indian league cricket, but he was excluded from the Champions Trophy competition that followed. Later that year, the ICC removed Rauf from its prestigious panel notwithstanding Rauf’s protestations that his removal had nothing to do with the fact that his name had come up in the criminal investigations. Throughout this time, the former umpire maintained his innocence and signaled his readiness to work with the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit. The Board of Control for Cricket in India then banned Rauf for five years in 2016 due to allegations of corruption and improper behavior.
Ramiz Raja, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board, praised Rauf in a tweet, writing that he was saddened to learn of Asad Rauf’s passing. He wasn’t just a brilliant umpire; he had a great sense of humor. He always made him smile, and he will always make him smile whenever he thinks of him. His family has received a lot of sympathy for their loss.
Saddened to hear about passing of Asad Rauf. Not only was he a good umpire but also had a wicked sense of humour. He always put a smile on my face and will continue to do so whenever I think about him. Many sympathies with his family for their loss.
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) September 15, 2022
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