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Test dreams no longer far-fetched for Bangladesh umpires


Bangladeshpost
Published : 20 May 2020 07:49 PM | Updated : 05 Sep 2020 05:39 PM

Bangladesh will be completing 20 years in the Test arena in June but the country has seen only four of its umpires officiate in Tests in that period. AFM Akhtaruzzaman officiated in two Test matches while Mahbubur Rahman and Shawkatur Rahman were part of one before the ICC's rule of neutral umpire came into effect from 2002. 

The last umpire to be part of a Test match was Enamul Haque, who officiated in the match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe as a neutral umpire in Napier in 2012. He was also the first and last member of the emerging umpires of ICC from Bangladesh. At present, there are no Bangladesh umpires in ICC's elite panel. 

Bangladesh's umpires have been officiating in limited-overs matches for some time now but the challenges of Test cricket are completely different. In the ICC panel, only Sharfuddoula Saikat, Masudur Rahman Mukul, Tanvir Ahmed and Gazi Sohel represent Bangladesh. 

If the ICC board approves the cricket committee's recommendations, chances are high that all the four umpires will have a chance to make their debut in Tests when the side plays home Tests. 

The committee's recommendation made this non-neutral provisions for match referees as well. Referees Akhter Ahmed and Neeyamur Rashid too stand a chance to realise their own international cricket dreams. 

Bangladesh are aiming to host New Zealand in August for two World Test Championship Tests if the Coronavirus threat doesn't hamper the tour. "If there is an opportunity, we need to grab and it will be challenging because if we can't perform, we will not be considered in future. But if we do well we will get more chances once things are back to normal," Masudur told Cricbuzz. 

While the umpires will be eyeing to grab the opportunity, it appears BCB is yet to understand the challenges lying ahead of them. When contacted, Abdullah Al Noman Ovi, in charge of the BCB Umpires Committee, insisted he is not aware of such development before adding that if the opportunity comes it will surely benefit the umpires. 

"Is it? I haven't checked my mail as yet,'' said Noman before adding that he expects the umpires to perform well when the chance arrives. "If such an opportunity comes, surely it will benefit our umpires as they will have the chance to showcase their talent in Test matches."