Relations between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have come under strain after IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) decided to exclude Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 season despite buying him for Rs 9.2 crore at the mini-auction.Following the decision, Bangladesh banned the broadcast of the Indian Premier League in the country. This is the first time that IPL broadcasts have been banned in Bangladesh since the league began in 2008.
The BCB has also decided not to send its team to the upcoming T20 World Cup in India due to security concerns. The board said the decision was taken “after a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and growing concerns regarding the security of the Bangladesh contingent in India.” The BCB said it is still waiting for a response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its concerns about playing at Indian venues.At the same time, Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula officiated the first ODI of the three-match series between India and New Zealand to be played in Vadodara on Sunday.Follow live updates
Who is Bangladeshi referee Sharfuddoula?
Sharfuddoula has been appointed as the TV umpire for the first ODI match between India and New Zealand. He was born in Dhaka and has played in 32 Tests, 118 ODIs, 75 T20Is, 17 Women’s ODIs and 28 Women’s T20Is.In 2024, during the Australia vs West Indies Test in Brisbane, he became only the second Bangladeshi umpire to act as a neutral umpire in a Test match. Sharfuddoula, a former left-arm spinner, represented Bangladesh in the 1994 ICC Trophy, taking six wickets in three matches. He later worked briefly as a coach before moving to the BCB in an administrative role.He officiated his first domestic match in 2007 and made his debut as an international umpire alongside Simon Taufel in an ODI between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2010. In March 2024, he became the first Bangladeshi to be included in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.
Who appoints referees for ODI matches?
As per ICC regulations, umpires for ODIs are appointed under certain clauses. Clause 2.1.4 states that the ICC shall appoint one umpire for each ODI who shall not be from the same country as the participating teams and shall be from the elite or international panel. Clause 2.1.5 states that the home board shall appoint a referee from its own elite or international panel.Clause 2.1.7 states that in matches where the Decision Review System (DRS) is used, the ICC will appoint a third umpire to act as an emergency on-field referee and carry out DRS-related duties. This referee must also not be from the same country as the participating teams and must be selected from the Elite Panel or the International Panel.
