PCB names Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali in revamped selection panel
Hours after that debacle, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to reconstruct the selection committee.
Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar on Thursday broke the record of Steve Bucknor for officiating in most number of Test matches as an umpire. Dar achieved the feat during the first Test of the three-match series between Australia and New Zealand at the Perth Stadium.
The 51-year-old, who made his debut in Dhaka in 2003 during England’s tour of Bangladesh, stands in his 129th Test match as on-field umpire.
“This is one milestone I had never thought of when I began my umpiring career. It is a truly amazing feeling and a high point of my life when I take the field here in Australia; thousands of miles from where I started my international career at home in Gujranwala,” Dar was quoted as saying by ICC.
Advertisement
“Steve Bucknor was my idol and it is only sinking in now that I will have officiated in more Test matches than him.
“In the nearly two decades of my international career, I have had the good fortune of watching some memorable matches and achievements like Brian Lara’s Test knock of 400 not out and South Africa’s epic chase of Australia’s score of 434 in an ODI in Johannesburg in 2006,” he added.
Dar, who has officiated in 207 ODIs, is only two matches short of the record of 209 matches in the format held by Rudi Koertzen of South Africa. He has also officiated in 46 T20 internationals.
Talking about the match, Australia skipper Tim Paine won the toss and opted to bat.
Advertisement
