After refereeing record numbers of games over the course of his lengthy career, Pakistan’s experienced Aleem Dar retired from the ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires.
Aleem Dar has refereed 435 men’s international matches and is one of the most renowned umpires in cricket. Dar has a storied background as an international umpire. He made his international debut in 2000 and advanced quickly through the ranks, winning praise from both players and spectators for his wise judgements during matches, the ICC noted in a blog post.
Dar served as an official at the 2003 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa after being named to the ICC International Panel of Umpires in 2002. Dar’s ascent continued in 2004 when he was named to the ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires. He was the Elite Panel’s first Pakistani appointment.
Dar has also officiated in a number of important international games, including the finals of the 2007 and 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and the 2010 and 2012 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. In addition, he presided over the 2006 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy final.
Between 2009 and 2011, Dar won three straight ICC Umpire of the Year awards.
Dar’s efforts to international cricket and to the ICC, according to ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, “have been genuinely exceptional. He earned the respect of all those involved in international cricket thanks to consistently outstanding performances over such a protracted period. I wish Aleem the very best in the future and have no doubt that he will continue to play the game for a very long time.
Dar said, “It has been a long journey, but I have enjoyed every minute of my time as an international umpire. I have had the pleasure and honour of officiating all over the world, and what I have accomplished is beyond anything I could have imagined when I first entered the pitch.
“While I still want to work as an international umpire, I thought that, after 19 years on the road, it was time to leave the Elite panel and give someone from the International Panel a chance. My advice to umpires everywhere is to put in a lot of effort, practise discipline, and never stop learning.
For 2023–2024, Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza and South Africa’s Adrian Holdstock have been added. Holdstock and Raza bring the total number of umpires on the panel up from 11 to 12. The additions were supervised by the ICC Elite Umpire selection panel, which was presided over by Wasim Khan, the ICC General Manager of Cricket. 42 ODIs, 48 T20Is, and five Tests have all been officiated by Holdstock. Raza has participated in 48 T20Is, 41 ODIs, and 7 Tests.
