PAK vs BAN Umpires, Match Officials Announced For ODI Series; Pakistan Nemesis In

Shaheen Afridi and Kumar Dharmasena [Source: X]

The all exciting Bangladesh vs Pakistan ODI series is set to start from March 11 and ahead of that the match official panel have been released by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The panel will consist of 7 unique umpires representing on and off the field as match referee, on-field umpires, TV umpires and fourth umpires.

Notably the series was on the verge of cancellation earlier due to the heavy ongoing geopolitical conflict going on in West Asia involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israela and America. It jeopardised Pakistan’s travel to the host country, but as of now, things remain secure with both cricket boards getting the green signal for the series.

The Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI Series Buildup

For the unaware, both the participating teams had early exits from the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026. While the Bengal Tigers didn't even participate, the Men in Green made it to the Super 8 stage but failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

The mega ICC tournament's 2026 edition, won by India, saw the Men in Green crash out ahead of the semi-finals after a net run rate battle that resulted in their defeat against New Zealand.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, after a tussle with the International Cricket Council over a logistical shift of all their playing venues from India to Sri Lanka, lost the opportunity to participate as Scotland replaced them.

This led the Bengal Tigers to decide on a three-match ODI series involving Pakistan. While discussions were going on earlier regarding whether the team would mend its relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India or not, it seems that President Aminul Islam has already decided to shake hands with the Men in Green.

Also Read: Bangladesh Coach Promises To Humiliate Pakistan In ODI Series

Elite Umpiring Panel Announced For ODI Series

Notably, all the matches of the series will take place at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur and for the entire series, experienced match official Neeyamur Rashid Rahul will serve as the match referee, as he remains one of the most experienced Bangladeshi officials in global matches.

In the first ODI of the series, on-field umpiring duties will be shared by one of the most experienced and prestigious veteran umpires, Sri Lanka's Kumar Dharmasena, and Gazi Sohail.

Kumar Dharmasena To Grace Thrilling Series

For the unaware, Dharmasena has been a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires since 2011 and has also won the ICC Umpire of the Year title twice. With a star-studded umpiring panel for the first ODI, South Africa's Adrian Holdstock will take charge as the TV umpire, while Tanvir Ahmed will serve as the fourth umpire.

Interestingly, Dharmasena has also been involved in an instance where he faced significant criticism for making major errors against Pakistan. In one incident back in 2022, he gave Naseem Shah out for a low catch; however, UltraEdge later confirmed that the ball had hit only the pads, ruling Dharmasena’s decision out.

7 Match Officials To Shuffle Amongst Each Other

The second match, however, will see a reshuffle where Adrian Holdstock will step onto the field as an on-field umpire alongside Tanvir Ahmed, while Kumar Dharmasena will move to the TV umpiring role, with Masudur Rahman Mukul acting as the fourth umpire.

The third and final ODI will see Kumar Dharmasena return as an on-field umpire to officiate the match. He will be joined by Masudur Rahman Mukul in the middle, while Adrian Holdstock will again take charge of the TV umpiring duties, and Morshed Ali Khan will serve as the fourth umpire.

Full panel of match officials for Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI series- Neeyamur Rashid Rahul, Kumar Dharmasena, Gazi Sohel, Adrian Holdstock, Tanvir Ahmed, Masudur Rahman Mukul, Morshed Ali Khan.

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