Umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat was awarded a crest by the Bangladesh Cricket Board at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday for completing 100 international matches as an umpire. The 46-year-old achieved the feat in the third T20I between Bangladesh and Ireland on March 31. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Emerging Umpiring panel is not announced by the ICC these days but before the pandemic, it used to be declared on an official basis. There are 12 umpires in ICC’s Elite panel and after that a group of five to seven umpires make up the ICC Emerging Umpires panel which, it is understood, is an officially unofficial panel. It has been learned that Bangladesh’s Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat has been inducted as a member of the Emerging panel. It was also learned that Saikat has been assigned as a neutral umpire for the three-match ODI series between West Indies and Afghanistan in late September this year.
Saikat had been assigned as a neutral umpire for Afghanistan’s two-match Test series against Zimbabwe in Dubai during the month of July this year, right after the upcoming series against Bangladesh in June. As it is a World Cup year, the two boards have decided to cancel the Tests for the time being, thus Saikat would have to wait his turn.
An integrated management information system — which provides a draft from the ICC — allows umpires to view their upcoming assignments and Saikat has been given the Windies-Afghanistan assignment. If he can prove himself, he would stay on in the Emerging panel.
“One of the allotments, the Afghanistan-Zimbabwe Tests, have been cancelled but the West Indies-Afghanistan ODIs remains and have been allotted to Saikat,” a source close to the development, confirmed to The Daily Star.
The members of the now reconstituted emerging group are Chris Brown (New Zealand), Langton Rusere (Zimbabwe), Saikat, Alex Wharf (England) and Paul Wilson of Australia.
Wilson, officiating the England-Ireland Test which started on June 1 at Lord’s was the latest to be allocated on-field spot in Tests among the reconstituted emerging group panel.
It is understood that the ICC do not officially announce induction to Emerging panel. “They do it unofficially and when an overseas assignment is allocated, then it is confirmed that said umpire is in the Emerging panel. He [Saikat] will have an assignment going forward and that’s when it will be confirmed officially,” a BCB source informed.
When the appointment is finally made, the notification will arrive to the umpires and the ICC will also notify the relevant board that they are including a certain umpire.
“When someone outside the ICC Elite panel of umpires is allocated an overseas fixture, you will know that said umpire is in the Emerging panel. Another indicator that an umpire is in the Emerging panel is when that umpire works with an Elite panel umpire in a global tournament. This Emerging panel is still an unofficially official thing,” he added.
Previously, the only umpire from Bangladesh to have entered the Emerging panel was Enamul Haque Moni, who officiated one Test between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at Napier, New Zealand in 2012 while officiating in 54 ODIs and 14 T20Is.
Saikat has so far officiated as an on-field umpire in nine Tests, fifty ODIs and 42 T20Is in the men’s game.
Barring any unforeseen events which leads to a series cancellation, Saikat will now officiate as an Emerging panel ICC umpire during the West Indies-Afghanistan ODI series. Saikat’s performance has been marked by their consistency and it is hoped that he will make the next step and enter the ICC Elite Panel.
