ICC has announced the match officials for the Rawalpindi Test

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the match officials for the Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh starting on February 7.

According to the announcement made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the ICC has appointed Richie Richardson as the match referee, Nigel Long and Chris Gaffney for the first Test of the series between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the World Test Championship. The responsibilities of field umpires have been assigned.

The one-off Test in the first leg of the two-Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will begin on February 7 in Rawalpindi.

In the Rawalpindi Test match, Marez Erasmus will be the TV umpire and Shuzab Raza from Pakistan will be the fourth umpire.

It should be noted that the match referee Richie Richardson is coming to Pakistan for the second time, he had previously performed the duties of the match referee on the occasion of the ICC World XI T20 cricket team’s visit to Pakistan in September 2017.

Former West Indies cricketer Richie Richardson has also played 21 ODIs and 6 Test matches in Pakistan from 1985 to 1996.

Among the other officials of the match, Chris Gaffney and Marez Erasmus are coming to Pakistan for the first time, however, Nigel Long has already umpired in 6 one-day matches in Pakistan.

This will be Nigel Long’s first experience of umpiring in Rawalpindi as he has previously umpired 3 matches in Karachi, 2 in Lahore and one in Multan.

He served as the field umpire in the incomplete series played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2009.

The match officials announced by the ICC include Nigel Long and Chris Gaffney (on-field umpires), Marez Erasmus (third umpire), Shuzab Raza (fourth umpire) and Richie Richardson (match referee).

It should be noted that the Bangladesh team has reached Pakistan after 17 years to play a Test match, which includes experienced and senior players.

The Bangladesh team will return to their country after the Rawalpindi Test and then return in April after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to play an ODI match and the second Test match in Karachi.