KARACHI: International cricket referee Ishtiaq Ahmed will retire on January 1, 2017, after serving Pakistan cricket for several years.
Ishtiaq is currently serving in the National One-day Cup for Departments.
“Yes, I will retire on January 1,” Ishtiaq told ‘The News’ here on Monday.
Although he is going to retire on January 1, it is expected that he will be given a chance to serve as match referee in the One-day Cup final, to be held on January 2 here at National Stadium.
Ishtiaq was also the match referee of the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy held between WAPDA and Habib Bank Limited (HBL) here at National Stadium from December 10-15.
“I am satisfied with my career as a match referee. I am happy that I served with honesty and got respect from the players. I am thankful to all the players and officials of regional and departmental teams who gave due respect to me during my long career. I am thankful to them,” Ishtiaq said.
He added that he worked devotedly for cricket. “I have done a lot of work for cricket. I gave cricket priority throughout my career. I gave talent to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). I also kept suggesting the PCB some vital points during my career which helped domestic cricket,” Ishtiaq said.
Ishtiaq, a law graduate, served as the match referee of the one-day game between Canada and Afghanistan at Sharjah on February 18, 2010.
He was the match referee for two T20 Internationals of the 2010 ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers, between Canada and Kenya at Dubai on February 10, 2010, and between Ireland and Netherlands on February 13, 2010.
Ishtiaq, a former first-class cricketer, worked as tournament referee in the 2008 Women World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.
He served in the same capacity in the Australia Under-19 and Pakistan Under-19 series in Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, in 2007.
He delivered his services in the match between Australia A and Pakistan A at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore in 2007-08.
In 2008-09 Ishtiaq acted as referee during the Blind World Cup in Islamabad.
Peshawar-born Ishtiaq played 18 first-class matches from 1974-87. He was an off-spinner and was part of the NWFP Governor XI which played the side match against India at the Services Ground Peshawar in 1983.
He represented National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as a first-class cricketer.
In 1975-76 Ishtiaq skippered NWFP Under-19 team. He played for Peshawar Club and Union Club.
He was also a PCB instructor and conducted a referees refresher course in 2007.
He delivered lectures to the Under-19 players of regional teams on the code of conduct and the spirit of the game.
Ishtiaq said domestic cricket was not bad. “Our domestic cricket has produced great players and it is expected that the PCB would further improve it,” Ishtiaq said.
He suggested that the elite panel of umpires and referees should be given contracts by the PCB.
“There are around 25 umpires and 15 referees who are working in the mainstream. If they are offered contracts it would encourage them to work extra hard,” he said.
He also suggested that the PCB should also give pension to umpires and referees. “Referees and umpires dedicate their whole lives to cricket; it is important to give them pension which would help them in their post-retirement life,” Ishtiaq said.
He advised coaches not to interfere in the affairs of umpires. He said that coaches should not be given extra power in selection. “If you give a coach selection power then he gets involved in politics and becomes a party which is not good. Once a team is formed it should be given to the coach and it is then his responsibility to train it as per requirement,” Ishtiaq said.
He said those persons should be appointed as team managers who are qualified and have strong cricket knowledge.
He also requested the PCB to take care of scorers who had been doing a tough job.
Ishtiaq has been one of the non-controversial referees Pakistan has produced. He is said to have never compromised on discipline.
