Saikat is not involved in BCB’s ‘politics’, he is umpiring in India without any problems

Sports Desk
BCB had decided not to play the World Cup in India citing security concerns after Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL. They had also written to the ICC expressing concern over the safety of not only the players but also all Bangladeshis including spectators, journalists and umpires. However, the only elite panel in Bangladesh did not agree with BCB’s stance.

Umpire Sharfuddaula Ibn Shaheed Saikat. He is currently in Vadodara (Baroda), India, to officiate the India-New Zealand series.
India and New Zealand are facing each other in the first match of the three-match ODI series in Vadodara, Gujarat today. Sharfuddaulaua Saikat is working as a TV umpire there. India’s KN Padmanaban and England’s Richard Illingworth are serving as the on-field umpires in this match.

The remaining two matches of the ODI series will be held in Rajkot and Indore respectively on January 14 and 18. Saikat is likely to be seen as an on-field umpire in at least one of those two matches. He has been getting the opportunity to officiate regular neutral matches since joining the ICC elite panel. This umpire also umpired efficiently in the last Ashes series. Saikat will also officiate in several matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Mustafizur Rahman issue has now taken a political turn. After going to India and demanding not to play the World Cup, a kind of deadlock has been created. If the ICC does not agree to change the venue in the end, the BCB will face a big challenge. In that case, they will either have to back down from their tough decision or boycott the World Cup.

However, sports analysts believe that at the same time that the BCB is raising security questions, the unhindered work of Bangladeshi umpires in India will put the cricket board’s claim in a somewhat delicate position.