Bangladeshi umpire officiates India vs New Zealand first ODI amid Mustafizur Rahman row - who is he?

Ties between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have come under strain after IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chose to exclude Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 season, despite buying him for Rs 9.2 crore at the mini auction.

Following the decision, Bangladesh banned broadcasts of the Indian Premier League in the country. This is the first time IPL broadcasts have been banned in Bangladesh since the league began in 2008.




The BCB has also decided not to send its team to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, citing safety concerns. The board said the decision was taken "following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India." The BCB has said it is still waiting for a response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its concerns about playing at Indian venues.

At the same time, Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula has been officiating in the first ODI of the three-match series between India and New Zealand, which is being played in Vadodara on Sunday.

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Who is Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula?

Sharfuddoula has been appointed as the TV umpire for the first India vs New Zealand ODI match. Born in Dhaka, he has officiated in 32 Tests, 118 ODIs, 75 T20Is, 17 women’s ODIs, and 28 women’s T20Is.

In 2024, during the Australia vs West Indies Test in Brisbane, he became only the second Bangladeshi umpire to stand as a neutral umpire in a Test match. A former left-arm spinner, Sharfuddoula represented Bangladesh in the ICC Trophy in 1994, taking six wickets in three matches. He later worked briefly as a coach before joining the BCB in an administrative role.

He umpired his first domestic match in 2007 and made his international umpiring debut in 2010, standing alongside Simon Taufel in a Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ODI. In March 2024, he became the first Bangladeshi to be included in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.

Who appoints umpires for ODI matches

As per ICC regulations, umpires for ODIs are appointed under specific clauses. Clause 2.1.4 states that the ICC shall appoint one umpire for each ODI, who must not be from the same country as the participating teams and must be from the Elite Panel or International Panel. Clause 2.1.5 says the home board shall appoint one umpire from its own Elite or International Panel.

Clause 2.1.7 states that in matches where the Decision Review System (DRS) is used, the ICC will appoint a third umpire, who will act as the emergency on-field umpire and handle DRS-related duties. This umpire must also not be from the same country as the participating teams and must be selected from the Elite Panel or International Panel.


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