Sharfuddoula to be first Bangladeshi umpire in Men's ODI World Cup

Cricketer-turned-umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shaid Saikat has been named one of the 20 match officials for the league round of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.

Currently an umpire of ICC's Emerging Umpire Panel, Saikat will be the first Bangladeshi to officiate in Men's ODI World Cup. He will be the fourth umpire in the opening match between England and New Zealand on 5 October in Ahmedabad, said a press release from the ICC. 

The press release said: Sixteen umpires will officiate the 13th edition of the tournament, including all 12 of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and four members of the ICC Emerging Umpire Panel, they are: Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shaid, Rod Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.

The experienced list includes three of the four umpires who were appointed for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 final at Lord's - Dharmasena, Erasmus and Tucker – with only Aleem Dar missing, who stepped down from the Elite Panel in March of this year.

The Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees is represented at the event by a quartet of former international cricketers, namely, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath.

Srinath will take charge of the tournament opener between the last event's finalists, England and New Zealand on 5 October in Ahmedabad. Menon and Dharmasena will be the standing umpires, with Paul Wilson as TV umpire and Saikat taking on fourth umpire duties.

The officials have been named for the entirety of the League segment, with the selections for the semi-finals and final of the tournament to be named in due course.