Pakistan umpires make history with ICC T20 World Cup 2024 assignment

Pakistani umpires Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, and Rashid Riaz are set to make history by officiating in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. This marks the first occasion where three umpires from Pakistan have been selected for such a prestigious global tournament.

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to commence on June 2, 2024, with the final match slated for June 29, 2024. The tournament will be hosted by the United States of America and the West Indies, showcasing a total of 55 matches played by 20 participating teams.

The teams include cricketing powerhouses such as India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, England, and the West Indies, alongside other competitive sides like Sri Lanka, USA, Namibia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Scotland, Uganda, Netherlands, Ireland, Oman, Papua New Guinea, and Nepal.

With matches spread across various venues in the host countries, the event promises to be a grand affair. Pakistan's schedule includes high-profile clashes such as India vs Pakistan on June 9 in New York, and Pakistan vs Canada on June 11 in the same venue.

Nevertheless, the Babar Azam-led side will kick off their tournament with a fixture against USA on June 6 in Dallas.

This year, the participating teams are divided into four groups – Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D – with Pakistan and India placed in Group A, Australia and England finding themselves Group B, New Zealand representing Group C, and South Africa in Group D.

With the inclusion of umpires Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, and Rashid Riaz, Pakistan will have additional representation in the tournament, not just on the field with the national team but also in the crucial role of match officiating.