ICC appoints umpire Rahul to panel of development umpires for 2018
MUSCAT: Senior umpire Rahul Asher from Oman has been appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to the International Panel of ICC Development Umpires for 2018.
Rahul has been regularly representing Oman as a cricket umpire at Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and ICC events for quite some time now. In his latest appointment, he will now join 28 international umpires from various countries to supervise games and tournaments organised by ICC, which also has an Elite Panel of Umpires who officiate at the highest level.
Confirming the appointment, Adrian Griffith, Senior Manager, Umpires and Referees at ICC, said: “We have been through a thorough selection process for the Panel involving myself, international referees and other relevant stakeholders. I would, therefore, like to congratulate and welcome Rizwan Akram (Netherlands), Rahul Asher (Oman) and Andrew Louw Jr (Namibia) (as the latest entrants) to the Panel for 2018.”
A certified Level II umpire, Rahul is elated at finding the latest feather in his cap.
“Firstly I would like to thank Oman Cricket, ACC and ICC for showing faith in me and including me in the ICC Panel for Development Umpires for 2018. I am really excited and feel very privileged to have this opportunity, which will help me to continue to develop as an umpire and build on previous international and domestic appointments. It is fantastic to have the opportunity to work with umpires from around the world, something that not many would get to experience. I am looking forward to learning from each and every one of them, and to continue to grow as a better umpire,” commented Rahul.
Commenting further, he said, “Simon Taufel had famously said, ‘To be a good umpire you have to be a good person, have good people skills and have good values’. Those are the things people can constantly improve upon. As currently I am working as IS&T Manager in a multinational company, such opportunities are really important to keep going forward as a career path and for the passion of the game, it can be turned into a full time profession.”
In his previous major assignments, Rahul had officiated in the ACC Under-16 Elite Cup 2014 in Qatar, ICC World Cricket League Asia Qualifiers in April 2017 in Thailand and ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifiers in July 2017 in Singapore.
Joining Oman Cricket’s efforts to groom good umpires, Rahul assisted A R Srinivasan, ICC-ASIA certified Umpire Educator, in the first ever Level I umpiring course conducted by Oman in August 2016.