LAHORE–January 1, 2016: Chairman PCB Shaharyar Mohammad Khan has felicitated Aleem Dar, Pakistan’s representative on the ICC’s Elite Panel, on the eve of his signal achievement of officiating in 100 Tests.
When he steps on to the field to stand in the second Test between South Africa and England on Saturday (January 2) at Newlands, Aleem Dar will become only the third member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires to reach the 100-Test mark.
Prior to Aleem Dar’s induction in the exclusive list, to date only Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen have umpired in 100 or more Test matches.
In overs-limited formats of the game, Dar has also supervised in 178 ODIs and 35 T20Is so far.
Chairman PCB said: “Aleem Dar has been not just the best umpire of his generation in Pakistan, but one of the very best at the global level – which is reflected in his having officiated 99 Test matches and winning the ICC Umpire of the Year Award for three consecutive years.
“Such performance requires a very high level of skill-set as well as extraordinary concentration and endurance levels. Aleem Dar deserves all the plaudits for having displayed these attributes for so long.
“He has made Pakistani’s cricketing fraternity and the nation proud”.
A retired first-class cricketer, Dar has won the ICC Umpire of the Year award three times in succession (2009, 2010 and 2011), in addition to being nominated twice (2005 and 2006).
In recognition of his stand-out services, government of Pakistan in 2011 conferred on him Pride of Performance, and in 2013, he was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence), the third-highest national civil award.
