The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Friday announced names of umpire for next week's Independence Cup, which will be played between Pakistan and the World XI in Lahore. Aleem Dar of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Ahsan Raza of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires will officiate in the series opener at the Qadhafi Stadium on 12th September. Shozab Raza, also from the international panel, will be the TV umpire.
The second match of the series, to be played on 13th September, will be umpired by Ahmed Shahab and Shozab Raza, with Ahsan Raza as the TV umpire. The series final will be umpired by Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza, with Ahmed Shahab as the TV umpire. The ICC has already appointed Sir Richie Richardson as match referee for the series, while the PCB has appointed on-field umpires for the T20Is.
Aleem Dar, who was the ICC Umpire of the Year from 2009-2011, has been appointed only for the opening match as he is scheduled to attend the ICC Elite Match Officials workshop in Dubai from 13-15 September. In this year's annual workshop at the ICC Headquarters, the match officials will discuss, among other matters, the new playing conditions, which will come into effect from 28 September.