Fellow umpire Shastri hails Asad Rauf’s fun-loving ways

Suresh Shastri and Asad Rauf

Ex-Ranji Trophy player-turned-international umpire Suresh Shastri called Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf, who succumbed to a cardiac arrest in Lahore on Wednesday night, as a fun-loving umpire.

"I umpired my first Test with Asad [Sri Lanka v Bangladesh at Colombo in 2007] and he never made me feel like a junior [Rauf had been an on-field umpire for 11 Tests before that]. He was a very relaxed personality and never let pressure get to him," said Shastri, who played first-class cricket for Rajasthan, and Nirlon on the Mumbai club circuit.

Rauf officiated in 64 Tests (49 as on-field umpire and 15 as TV umpire), 139 ODIs and 28 T20Is. He was at the receiving end of a BCCI ban in early 2016 for alleged involvement in corruption.

"Saddened to hear about passing of Asad Rauf. Not only was he a good umpire but also had a wicked sense of humour. He always put a smile on my face and will continue to do so whenever I think about him. Many sympathies with his family for their loss," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Ramiz Raja tweeted.

He was accused of taking gifts and bribes to fix matches. Reports also emerged of Rauf's involvement in breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Anti-Corruption Code. In his last years, Rauf earned his living by selling clothes and shoes at a Lahore shop.

With inputs from Agencies