Ahsan Raza replaces Aleem Dar in ICC Elite Panel of Umpires
Karachi, Mar 16: Pakistan's long-serving Test umpire, Aleem Dar has been replaced by countryman Ahsan Raza on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Elite Panel of umpires.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Thursday that Raza had been promoted to the ICC Elite Panel.
Raza, who had a second lease of life after being shot by militants during their attack on the team bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers and match officials in March, 2009 in Lahore, has served on the ICC International Panel of Umpires since 2010 and is the first to reach the 50 T20I-mark as an umpire.
Raza had to undergo life-saving surgery after the bullets damaged his lungs, but he returned to umpiring after a one-year break.
Overall, he has officiated in 72 T20Is, seven Tests and 41 ODIs.
Raza is the senior-most Pakistani umpire behind Aleem Dar, who has served on the Elite Panel since 2004.
Aleem officiated in a world-record 435 international matches, including a record 144 Tests, 222 ODIs, and 69 T20Is.
Aleem won the 'ICC Umpire of the Year award' for three successive years from 2009.
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Devendra Fadnavis plays video of Islamic scholar at Pune rally, harps on 'vote jihad'
Pune, Nov 16: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis continued to raise the pitch on "vote jihad" by playing a video of Islamic scholar Sajjad Nomani at a poll rally in Pune's Bhosari area on Saturday.
It is being said that a person who votes for the BJP must be ostracised, Fadnavis claimed.
"If these people are trying to do vote jihad, if they are saying they will destabilise the government through vote jihad, then you will also have to do dharmayudh of votes," Fadnavis said.
"If these people dream that they will come to power with the help of votes from one community in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, then you will also have to come to the battlefield," he said in a swipe at the MVA.
