Lahore: Former Pakistan umpire Azad Rauf (66), a member of the elite panel of ICC umpires, has passed away. He died due to a heart attack. Rauf’s brother Tahir informed about the death.
Tahir told Dunya News that while returning home after closing his garment business in Landa Bazar, Lahore, Rauf felt unwell and was rushed to the hospital but his life could not be saved.
Rauf was the main umpire from Pakistan along with Aleem Dar. He was included in the ICC’s Elite Panel in 2006 and has managed 47 Tests, 98 ODIs and 23 Twenty20s. He was on the elite panel for seven years and was expelled in 2013.
He started his umpiring career in 1998 and officiated his first international match in 2000. He made his international debut in the ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Four years later in 2004, Rauf was named to the panel of international umpires for the first time.
Meanwhile, Rauf’s career hit a snag when his name was mentioned in connection with the 2013 IPL betting.
Apart from being a famous umpire, Rauf was also a well-known first-class player in Pakistan. He has scored 3423 runs from 71 first-class matches and 611 runs from 40 List A matches. He has scored three centuries and 26 fifties in his career.
During his career he played for Lahore, National Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Railways.