By Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD (February 5, 2020):-International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the officials for Pindi Test between hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh that will be kicked off from February 7, 2020 at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Richie Richardson from West Indies will perform the duties of match referee during 5-day fixture.
Richie Richardson will return to Pakistan as a match referee when he will be referee in the ICC World Test Championship, as the ICC confirmed the match officials’ appointments. Richardson’s Playing Control Team includes Nigel LIong and Chris Gaffaney as on-field umpires, Marais Erasmus as TV umpire and Shozab Raza as the fourth umpire.
It is pertinent to mention here that Richardson last toured Pakistan in September 2017 for the three ICC World XI T20Is at Lahore – which was also his first visit to the country as a match official. The former West Indian cricketer toured Pakistan six times as a player and featured in six Tests and 21 ODIs between 1985 and 1996.
This is the first instance that Gaffaney and Erasmus will tour Pakistan, while Llong, who has officiate six ODIs across Karachi (3), Lahore (2), and Multan (1), will return after more than a decade. He last stood as an on-field umpire in Pakistan during the ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in January 2009.
The first Test of the two-match series will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 7-11 February.
Match officials’ appointments:
7-11 February – 1st Test. Nigel Llong and Chris Gaffaney (on-field), Marais Erasmus (third umpire), Shozab Raza (fourth umpire); Sir Richie Richardson (match referee)
