Umpire promotions raise eyebrows, contradict PCB chairman’s policies

Umpire promotions raise eyebrows, contradict PCB chairman’s policies

Asher Butt 

The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) recent announcement of umpire promotions for the 2024-25 season has sparked controversy, with internal sources revealing potential contradictions to the board's stated policies of merit, transparency, and fairness. According to reports, Senior Manager Umpires and Referees, Bilal Qureshi, allegedly bypassed standard protocols by securing direct approval from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, while Director of Domestic Cricket Abdullah Khuram Niazi was kept in the dark about the developments.

The promotions, which see four umpires—Ahmad Shahab, Qaiser Waheed, Khalid Mehmood Sr., and Rana Arshad—elevated from the supplementary panel to the PCB Elite Panel, have raised serious questions about the internal dynamics of the PCB’s umpiring department. Notably, three of these umpires had previously been demoted from the elite panel due to performance issues, a move that stands in stark contrast to the usual practices of international cricket boards, such as the ICC, where demoted umpires rarely regain their positions at the highest level.

The handling of the promotions process has led to concerns over the influence of personal preferences and possible nepotism within the PCB. Sources claim that Bilal Qureshi deliberately kept Director Domestic Abdullah Khuram Niazi uninformed about the promotions, working independently to get the chairman’s direct approval. This approach contradicts the vision of Chairman Naqvi, who has emphasized merit, transparency, and adherence to performance standards as key elements in his leadership of the PCB.

The promotions of these four umpires, all over 50 and nearing retirement, have been particularly criticized for failing to align with the future-focused policies of international cricket. The ICC, for example, promotes young, fit, and educated umpires to build a sustainable pipeline of officiating talent, a practice that PCB had previously adhered to. The failure to incorporate younger umpires into the elite panel raises concerns about the board's ability to meet the growing demands of modern cricket.

One of the most significant issues highlighted is the lack of transparency in the annual assessment and promotion process. In PCB, umpire evaluations are reportedly based on secret reports from captains and referees, leaving performance assessments opaque. There have been accusations of manipulated reports, with no clear criteria for demotion. This secrecy has effectively sidelined young, talented umpires, further undermining the chairman’s push for fairness and meritocracy.

Bilal Qureshi, Senior Manager Umpires and Referees while commenting on the issue told The News: “The domestic cricket season 2024-25 is going to be a very busy season, with a number of new tournaments being inducted. Consequently, the operational need for umpires will be higher and so the umpires and referees department has elevated eight umpires, four each from development and supplementary panels.

“We follow a very transparent process in evaluating match officials at the end of each season. For the 2024-25 season, a thorough review of performances of all umpires based on captains’ and match referees’ reports from the last three domestic cricket seasons was taken into consideration.

“The performances of the match officials were reviewed by an internal committee consisted of Domestic and International Cricket Operations officials. Upon the recommendation of the committee, the promotions were signed-off by Chief Operating Officer and Chairman PCB.

“For the ongoing season, we have made a substantial increase in the match officials retainerships. Also, there has been an increase in match officials’ match fees and daily allowances,” added Bilal.

Critics argue that the lack of demotions in the latest round of assessments raises serious questions about the credibility of the process. Without transparent performance evaluations, the system appears to favor certain individuals, allowing personal preferences to dictate promotions, a practice that contradicts Chairman Naqvi’s stated commitment to fairness.

A retired international umpire, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed concern over the current state of the umpiring department, drawing comparisons with the past when young and fit umpires like Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf were promoted based on merit. He emphasized the need for the chairman and the Director of Domestic Cricket to intervene and rectify the situation, urging them to promote umpires who meet international standards of fitness, talent, and professionalism.

The former official also suggested that the PCB appoint an ex-international umpire or cricketer as the head of the umpiring department, in order to maintain the integrity and performance standards necessary to compete at both domestic and international levels.

As the PCB continues to project a commitment to transparency, merit, and the development of young talent under the leadership of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the recent umpire promotions reveal a concerning disconnect between policy and practice. The allegations surrounding Bilal Qureshi’s handling of the promotions raise serious questions about the internal functioning of the umpiring department and the fairness of the system. With the spotlight on the PCB’s internal governance, it remains to be seen how Chairman Naqvi and Director Domestic Abdullah Khuram Niazi will address these critical concerns moving forward.

However, Bilal remained mum on several other issues some of them like bypassing Director Domestic before getting chairman’s approval, ignored accusations of manipulated reports and also remained silent on demoted umpires promoted again.

The standard of umpiring was visible from the fact that Saud Shakeel slammed umpiring after Dolphins’ early exit from Champions Cup. Dolphins’ captain Saud Shakeel asserted umpiring decisions played a major role in their premature exit from the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup, which is being officiated by a panel of nine umpires. So with development of cricket there are other things attached to the game are also needed to be addressed.