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| Aleem Dar | |
|---|---|
| Name | Aleem Dar |
| Birth date | 1968-04-06 |
| Birth place | Lahore, Pakistan |
| Occupation | Cricket umpire, former cricketer |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
Aleem Dar Aleem Dar is a Pakistani cricket umpire and former cricketer who has served on the international panel of umpires for the International Cricket Council and officiated in Tests, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 Internationals. He rose from domestic cricket in Pakistan to become one of the most recognized match officials, appearing in major tournaments including the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20. Dar's career intersects with prominent players, franchises, and cricket boards such as Pakistan Cricket Board, England national cricket team, and Indian Premier League franchises.
Born in Lahore, Dar attended local schools and began playing cricket in regional competitions linked to institutions like the Pakistan International Airlines sports program and club sides in the Punjab circuit. His formative years coincided with eras dominated by figures including Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis, whose careers shaped domestic aspirations. Dar later completed training and certification pathways overseen by bodies such as the Pakistan Cricket Board and gained umpiring accreditation in programs comparable to those run by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Australian Cricket Board.
Dar's playing career was primarily at the club and domestic level within structures like the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and inter-services competitions where contemporaries included players from Karachi and Lahore squads. He played as a cricketer in local leagues that produced internationals such as Inzamam-ul-Haq and Salman Butt, but he did not break into prolonged international playing tenure alongside names like Shoaib Akhtar or Younis Khan. His experience as a player in domestic tournaments provided exposure to formats similar to those used in the Asia Cup and provincial fixtures.
Transitioning to umpiring, Dar progressed through panels managed by the Pakistan Cricket Board before being appointed to the ICC International Panel of Umpires and Referees and later the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. He officiated matches involving national sides such as Australia national cricket team, India national cricket team, and South Africa national cricket team. Dar has worked with fellow elite umpires including Simon Taufel, Dale Steyn (as a player he stood in matches featuring Steyn), Marais Erasmus, and Richard Kettleborough in multinational series like tours of England cricket team in Pakistan and Sri Lanka cricket team in Pakistan. He adapted to technological systems introduced by the International Cricket Council—notably the Decision Review System—and collaborated with match referees appointed by the ICC Match Referees panel.
Dar officiated at multiple editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20, standing in high-profile fixtures featuring squads from New Zealand national cricket team and West Indies cricket team. He was appointed to umpire finals and late-stage matches in tournaments including the 2007 Cricket World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup, alongside match officials such as Simon Taufel and Daryl Harper. Milestones in his career include reaching landmark counts of international matches officiated across formats, paralleling records set by umpires like Aleem Dar's contemporaries—note: peers such as Rudi Koertzen and Billy Bowden set precedents for long-serving officials. He also stood in franchise tournaments including the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League where teams like Mumbai Indians and Sydney Sixers competed.
Dar received accolades and recognition from bodies such as the International Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board for longevity and performance, often cited alongside awards given to officials like Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar's contemporaries. He has been honored in ceremonies that also celebrated players from England, Australia, and India. National awards and acknowledgments from provincial assemblies and sports ministries in Pakistan have marked his contributions to international cricket officiating.
Throughout his career, Dar faced scrutiny during contentious decisions in matches involving cricketing rivals like India national cricket team and Australia national cricket team, attracting criticism from media outlets and former players such as Ravi Shastri and Michael Atherton. Debates around umpiring standards, use of the Decision Review System, and match management have placed him at the center of episodes comparable to controversies involving other officials like Darrell Hair. Investigations and reviews by the International Cricket Council and national boards occasionally examined protocols and decision-making in which Dar participated.
Dar is married and has family ties in Lahore; his personal network includes colleagues from the Pakistan Cricket Board and friendships with former cricketers turned commentators such as Aamir Sohail and Wasim Akram. Outside umpiring, he has been involved in training and mentoring initiatives that mirror programs run by the England and Wales Cricket Board and regional cricket academies, contributing to development pathways for aspiring umpires in Pakistan and Asia.
Category:Pakistani cricket umpires Category:1968 births Category:Living people