Sport | Cricket
Pakistan's Rauf steps down as umpire for Chennai test
Pakistan's Asad Rauf has had to step down as an umpire for the scheduled first test between England and India as he could not get the proper visa, the International Cricket Council said on Sunday.
- Agencies
- Published: 13:43 December 7, 2008
- England cricketers delighted with the facilities in Abu Dhabi
- Pakistan board gets ready for India series despite chill
- 'India at home are a strong proposition'
- BCCI books entire hotel for cricketers' security
- Asian bloc not splitting cricket: Speed
- Success of Twenty20 cricket leads to launch of new format in Dubai
- Taj will never be the same again
- England determined to play in Test series
Mumbai: Pakistan's Asad Rauf has had to step down as an umpire for the scheduled first test between England and India as he could not get the proper visa, the International Cricket Council said on Sunday.
Pakistan nationals require city-specific visas when travelling to India and Rauf, who will be replaced by New Zealand's Billy Bowden, was issued visas for the original test venues.
The first test, starting on Thursday, was moved to Chennai from Ahmedabad and the final test to Mohali (December 19-23) from Mumbai following last week's militant attacks .
The England team are training in Abu Dhabi as their board's security experts evaluate the situation at the test venues.
A final decision on the tour will be made by them later on Sunday after the latest security reports.
"With the change in venues he (Rauf) required a new visa but due to the weekend, followed by the Eid Al Adha holidays, there was insufficient time for one to be issued, so he has had to step down from the first test," the ICC said in a statement.
Related Links
Sport Editor's choice
-
Golf: Looking back with a sense of pride
Mohammad Juma Bu Amim, golf in DUBAi chief, is pleased with where the game is going in the region
-
Mansour trio chase Arabian Derby riches
Naseem won Arabian Triple Crown Round 1 under Wayne Smith by a convincing ten-length margin over stablemate
-
We were 40 runs short, captain Mangal says
Afghan camp feels team could have scored a historic win against Pakistan if the middle order had fired
