T20 WC: Bangladesh umpire Shahid Saikat officiating IND vs SA warm-up match
Saikat was also part of the ICC umpires' panel for the India vs New Zealand ODI series played last month
Bangladesh umpire Shahid Saikat, who is an ICC-contracted umpire, is one of the two on-field umpires in the India vs South Africa ICC T20 World Cup warm-up match at the DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday. Saikat was also part of the ICC umpires’ panel for the India vs New Zealand ODI series played last month.
Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bat first in the match. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the opening pair for the Men in Blue, with Ishan Kishan joining Abhishek Sharma at the top.
Who is Shahid Saikat?
Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat is one of Bangladesh’s most senior international umpires. Born in Dhaka, he is part of the ICC Elite Panel and also leads the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Umpires Education Department.
Across his career, Saikat has officiated in 32 Tests, 118 One-Day Internationals and 75 Twenty20 Internationals, in addition to handling 17 Women’s ODIs and 28 Women’s T20Is.
How ICC appoints umpires?
Under ICC regulations, the appointment of match officials for ICC events is governed by strict neutrality guidelines. For One-Day Internationals, at least one on-field umpire must be from a country not involved in the match and must be drawn from the ICC Elite or International Panel.
In matches where the Decision Review System (DRS) is in use, a neutral third umpire is also appointed in accordance with the same principles. These rules are designed to ensure impartiality and consistency across ICC tournaments, with all umpire appointments made strictly in line with established ICC protocols.