Lahore: In preparation for the upcoming Test series against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the appointment of match officials. Sir Richie Richardson of the West Indies, a distinguished member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will oversee the proceedings of the three ICC World Test Championship matches scheduled between October 7 and 28 in Multan and Rawalpindi.
According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the series will commence with the first Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium from October 7 to 11. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena and Bangladesh’s Sharfuddoula Saikat, both from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will adjudicate the game on the field. They will be supported by New Zealand’s Christopher Gaffaney as the third umpire and Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob, from the ICC International Panel of Umpires, serving as the fourth umpire.
The second Test, also at Multan from October 15 to 19, will see Dharmasena joined by Gaffaney on the field, with Saikat moving to the role of third umpire. Pakistan’s Rashid Riaz will be the fourth umpire for this match.
The final Test will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium starting October 24, with Gaffaney and Saikat presiding as on-field umpires. Dharmasena will serve as the third umpire for this closing match, with Pakistan’s Faisal Aafreedi stepping in as the fourth umpire.
This series is part of the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship, highlighting its significance in the cricket calendar. The PCB has expressed its commitment to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship and fair play, as evidenced by the caliber of officials selected for these matches.