PCB announces officials for Pak vs Australia ODI series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sort of finalized the match officials for the coming three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, which is scheduled to happen in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 to June 4.

For this whole run, the appointments include experienced international umpires with a seasoned match referee, who will oversee things throughout the series. Graeme La Brooy from Sri Lanka will work as the match referee for all three ODIs, and he will also lead the playing control unit across the stretch.

La Brooy, a former international cricketer, played for Sri Lanka in nine Test matches and 44 One-Day Internationals between 1986 and 1992, so yeah, there’s that. On-field duties will be handled by Elite Panel umpires Ahsan Raza, from Pakistan, Richard Kettleborough from England, and Kumar Dharmasena from Sri Lanka, across the series.

The first ODI is set for May 30, at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. In that game, Kumar Dharmasena will take control on the field alongside Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob, who is listed under the ICC Emerging Umpires Panel.

Richard Kettleborough will be the third umpire, while Faisal Khan Aafreedi will be the fourth umpire; there will be no delays. The second ODI will be staged at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on June 2.

Richard Kettleborough and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, who is on the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will officiate on-field. Kumar Dharmasena will then shift into the third umpire role, with Asif Yaqoob serving as the fourth umpire, for that particular match.

The final ODI will also take place at Gaddafi Stadium on June 4. Kumar Dharmasena and Ahsan Raza will stand as on-field umpires, with Richard Kettleborough handling the third umpire duties.

Nasir Hussain, who is part of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, will serve as the fourth umpire, and that’s the lineup for the last one.