Another milestone awaits Bangladesh's first WC umpire Sharfuddoula

Another milestone fast approaches Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat as he is set for a maiden appearance as a neutral umpire in a Test match.

Sharfuddoula, who made history last year in India by becoming the first Bangladeshi to officiate in a men's ODI World Cup, is part of the umpiring panel for the upcoming two-match Test series between the West Indies and hosts Australia.  

With nine-Test experience as an on-field umpire and four as television umpire, the 47-year-old will be operating from the heart of the action in the Brisbane Test, beginning from January 25, after carrying his duty as the television umpire in the preceding Test in Adelaide.

Next month, he will also be involved in the subsequent ODI series between the two countries with seven World Cup trophies to their credit as the five-time champions resume action following a stellar World Cup campaign in India. 

Sharfuddoula will thus follow the footsteps of fellow cricketer-turned-umpire Enamul Haque -- the first Bangladeshi umpire to officiate a Test match on foreign soil when New Zealand hosted Zimbabwe in Napier in 2012.  

During his playing career, Sharfuddoula plied his trade as an off-spinner. Unfortunately, a back injury forced him to abruptly end his first-class career in 2001, on the back of a solitary season.

He later joined Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as its cricket operations manager before venturing into umpiring profession in 2007.

Ever since, aside from nine matches in the longest format, he has also stood in 59 ODIs and 43 T20Is.