PCB introduces grading system for Pak umpires

KARACHI - The Pakistan Cricket Board has enforced a new policy of grading the performance of umpires in the wake of complaints against sub-standard umpiring in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final.

The tournament’s final match was marred by poor umpiring and players’ protests that saw match referee Anwar Khan docking both teams for slow over-rates and imposing heavy fines for misconduct, dissent and ball tampering.

A senior PCB official confirmed that the board was already experimenting with a new grading system for umpires.

“Yes, the umpiring was not up to the mark, but we have already enforced a system where the umpires getting bad reports are having their number of matches cut, which in effect means less earning for them,” The Nation quoted Sultan Rana, head of PCB Domestic Operations, as saying.

“We have enforced a system where umpires who get bad reports lose matches and earnings. We go by the report of the match referee and also captains,” he added.

Rana admitted that the umpiring could have been better in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, but said there was no justification for the players’ misbehaviour in the match.

“To be honest, as a former player myself, I was totally disappointed with the behaviour of the players. Even if you get a bad decision it does not mean you misbehave on the field,” he maintained.

Rana said there was also a proposal to use the umpires’ referral system the next time the final of a major tournament was televised live in domestic cricket.

“But having the umpires referral system in domestic cricket will also depend on whether the broadcasters can provide the basic technology to make this a possibility,” he added. (ANI)