Ahsan, Shozab on U-19 World Cup umpires panel

LAHORE: Two Pakistan umpires Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza will be a part of the 14- member panel of officials for the Under-19 World Cup starting January 13 in New Zealand.

The International Cricket Council Wednesday announced the umpire and match referee appointments for the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2018, which will be staged in New Zealand from January 13 to February 3.

The Windies will be looking to defend their title and emulate Pakistan, who won consecutive titles in 2004 and 2006.

Australia and India have won the title three times each while England and South Africa are the other teams to have won the tournament, which replicates a major tournament experience in terms of organization and

The 12th edition of the tournament will see 14 members of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires officiating in the tournament - Robert Bailey, Gregory Brathwaite, Anil Chaudhary, Nigel Duguid, Shaun George, Shaun Haig, Mark Hawthorne, Ranmore Martinesz, C.K. Nandan, Ahsan Raza, Shozab Raza, Timothy Robert Robinson, Langton Rusere and Paul Wilson.

Apart from them, David Odhiambo, Buddhi Pradhan and Ian Ramage from the ICC Development Panel will also be officiating in the tournament. Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, and Devdas Govindjee and David Jukes of the International Panel of ICC Match Referees, will also be officiating in the tournament.

Shaun George and Ahsan Raza will be the on-field umpires for the match between defending champions the Windies and hosts New Zealand on the opening day at the Bay Oval in Tauranga while Robert Bailey will be the TV umpire and Timothy Robinson the fourth umpire. David Jukes has been appointed as the match referee for this match.