- Monday, March 10, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Asad Rauf, a former international cricket umpire from Pakistan who was also a part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elite panel between 2006 and 2013, passed away in Lahore on Wednesday (14) at the age of 66. He died of a heart attack.
A former cricketer who couldn’t make it to the international stage, Rauf made a name for himself as an umpire and officiated in international games between 2000 and 2013. He officiated in 64 Tests, 139 one-day internationals, 28 T20 internationals, and 11 women’s T20 internationals either as on-field or television umpire. He also stood for 40 first-class games, 26 List A matches and 89 T20 games overall, including those in the Indian Premier League.
He had also officiated in World Cup matches.
As a player, Rauf had appeared in 71 first-class matches between 1977-78 and 1990-91 in which he scored more than 3,400 runs with three centuries.
Rauf’s umpiring career was also marked with controversies. He was banned in 2016 after his name came up in a fixing scandal in the IPL in 2013 and he completely distanced himself from the sport thereafter. In another controversy, a model from India had accused Rauf of sexually abusing her. He had denied all allegations.
It was only in June that a video surfaced on social media showing Rauf running a second-hand clothes shop in Lahore. When he was asked whether he was happy with the job, he had said that he was not in touch with cricket after 2013 and once he left something, he left it completely.
Ex Test Umpire Asad Rauf Open Shop in Landa Bazar … Shrugs off @virendersehwag Bribery claims … He quit umpiring due to his son critical health condition…#asadrauf#umpire #icc @humnewspakistan @humnews_urdu pic.twitter.com/ZILx6MinMk
— Usman Khan (@usmann_khann) June 23, 2022
Rauf had once said, “It is my habit to reach the peak of whatever work I do. I started work as a shopkeeper, I have reached its peak. I played cricket; I reached the peak. And then when I started out as an umpire, I said to myself that I need to reach the peak here as well… I have no greed. I have seen a lot of money, and I have seen the world.”
Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ramiz Raja condoled Rauf’s death in a tweet, saying, “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.”
Former Pakistan wicket-keeper-batter Kamran Akmal said in a tweet, “Sad to know about the news of former ICC umpire Asad Rauf’s demise…May Allah grant him magfirat and give his family sabr Ameen.”
