Sharfuddoula Saikat set to become first Bangladeshi umpire to officiate in World Cup

Bangladesh’s Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat is poised to make his mark in the ICC World Cup 2023. The esteemed umpire from Bangladesh is set to don the coveted hat of being the first Bangladeshi official to grace the stage of a World Cup. Saikat, a distinguished member of the ICC Emerging panel, has been handpicked by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be part of the 16-man umpiring panel for the forthcoming quadrennial extravaganza. 

With the 2023 World Cup eagerly anticipated and scheduled to be hosted in the cricketing powerhouse of India from October 5 to November 19, Saikat's appointment is nothing short of monumental. With a career bedecked in umpiring excellence, the 46-year-old has officiated in a staggering 13 Test matches, 85 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and 59 T20 Internationals (T20Is).

His remarkable journey in the realm of cricketing officiation is punctuated by numerous accolades, but this World Cup venture is the proverbial feather in his cap, an aspiration realized through unwavering dedication and unrelenting hard work. In his own words, Saikat humbly shares,

"It's obviously a dream to officiate in the forthcoming ICC World Cup. It's an honour and a privilege, and a huge achievement for me to become the first Bangladeshi to officiate in the World Cup. It's been the result of a process, and I have earned it through dedication and hard work. However, I think getting appointed to officiate in a Test match was much bigger for me,” he told Cricbuzz

'There will be different teams and so I have to prepare by studying about them’ – Saikat on what’s coming in World Cup 2023

The man's reverence for Test cricket, the purest form of the game, is palpable. Yet, the allure of the World Cup stage is undeniable, and Saikat's excitement is palpable. His extensive experience in officiating ICC events, including the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, ICC Women's World Cup, and the U19 World Cup, has been instrumental in shaping his growth trajectory. Saikat, with an astute cricketing acumen, acknowledges the familiarity of the ICC event atmosphere. He shares,

“I think I am aware of the environment that prevails in an ICC event, considering I have some experience but at the same time the intensity will be much higher than what I have experienced so far and I am looking forward to that challenge. There will be different teams and so I have to prepare by studying about them.”