A senior UAE umpire, Nasir Butt, has been named by the Emirates Cricket Board to officiate in the Pepsi ACC Trophy to be played in Dubai and Sharjah from November 15-24.
Nasir, a respected umpire, has been officiating in the local tournaments since 1985 and has done duty for all three councils. Nasir has also umpired first class cricket in Pakistan - Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and patron's Trophy - before coming to the UAE.
Former Indian stumper Kiran More will be one of the three match referees appointed for the tournament by the Asian Cricket Council. Former Sri Lankan skipper Roshan Mahanama and Farooq Zaman from Pakistan are the two other referees named by the ACC.
Eight countries are taking part in the tournament with the finalists moving to the Asian Cup to contest with the Test playing nation from this region - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Singapore will be the first team to arrive in Dubai on Saturday followed by Hong Kong later in the day.
Hong Kong and Malaysia are the two fancied teams with the hosts UAE but Nepal could spring a surprise or two like they did during the under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Kuwait will make their cricket debut thus becoming only the second Gulf nation to join the cricketing fraternity after UAE made its debut in 1994, ICC Trophy in Kenya. Maldives, Japan and Singapore complete the line up of eight teams.
The league matches will be played in Sharjah and Dubai. First two day simultaneously on DCC grass grounds and Sharjah Stadium and then onwards on alternate days at Sharjah and Dubai.
Two semifinals and final, to be played at the Sharjah Stadium, will be telecast live by Star Sports.

Schedule
Matches at Sharjah cricket stadium:
15/11 Malaysia v Hong Kong, 16/11 Japan v Maldives, 17/11 UAE v Maldives, 18/11 Malaysia v Singapore, 19/11 Maldives v Nepal
21/11 A1 - B2 Semi Final, 22/11 A2 - B1 Semi Final, 24/11 Final

At Dubai Council I: 15/11 Singapore v Kuwait, 16/11 Malaysia v Kuwait, 17/11 Japan v Nepal, 19/11 UAE v Japan

At Dubai Council II: 15/11 UAE v Nepal, !6/11 Singapore v Hong Kong, 18/11 Kuwait v Hong Kong