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Karachi, Mar 16: Pakistan's long-serving Test umpire, Aleem Dar has been replaced by countryman Ahsan Raza on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Elite Panel of umpires.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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
ALSO READ: Slain Australia beach shooting suspect native of Hyderabad: T'gana police
Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
