Asad Rauf, former ICC elite Pakistan umpire, dies aged 66

Asad Rauf, the former ICC Elite Panel Umpire from Pakistan, has died following a cardiac arrest in Lahore. Rauf, who was 66, officiated in 64 Tests (49 as on-field umpire and 15 as TV umpire), 139 ODIs and 28 T20Is. One of the finest umpires of his time, Rauf joined the ICC elite panel in 2006 a year after standing in his first Test match and had umpired his first ODI in 2000. He was part of the panel till 2013. “Saddened to hear about passing of Asad Rauf. Not only was he a good umpire but also had a wicked sense of humour. He always put a smile on my face and will continue to do so whenever I think about him. Many sympathies with his family for their loss,” Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ramiz Raja said on Twitter

Rauf was banned by the BCCI in 2016 after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of indulging in corrupt practices. Rauf was accused of taking expensive gifts from bookies and for his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal, but he maintained his innocence. According to a report, Rauf was running a used-goods shop in Lahore’s Landa Bazar. [caption id=“attachment_10832831” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Asad Rauf at his shop in Lahore’s Landa Bazar. Twitter/Paktv.tv[/caption] Rauf also had a successful domestic career as a middle-order batter for National Bank and Railways. He played 71 first-class matches, scoring 3423 runs. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .