Former international umpire Nadir Shah (57) passed away on Friday after a prolonged battle with cancer. During his career as an international umpire, he was in charge of 6 Tests, 63 ODIs and 3 T20I matches. The last time he supervised a match was in October 2019 at the National Cricket League. A leg-spinner and handy batsman in his playing days, Nadir Shah appeared for two decades for a host of famous clubs in the Dhaka League including Abahani, Mohammedan, Biman, Brothers Union, Surjo Tarun, Kalabagan, Azad Boys and Dhanmondi. In March 2006 Nadir Shah stood as an umpire in an international match (Bangladesh vs Kenya) for the first time and went on to officiate in 40 ODIs, three T20 Internationals and three Women's ODIs. He was a TV Umpire in six Tests and 23 ODIs as well. He had also officiated in 73 first class matches, 127 List A and 54 (five as TV Umpire) T20 games.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Zahid Ahsan Russel MP expressed his grief and condolences for the family of the deceased. "Nadir Shah was a renowned face on the cricket field. His death is an irreparable loss for the country's sports arena. The nation will forever remember his unique contribution to the advancement of cricket in the country. "The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) expressed deep sadness at the passing of Nadir Shah, "Nadir Shah was a most affable person who was loved and respected by all in the cricket fraternity. He will be missed. He lived for cricket and had always executed his responsibility as an umpire with fairness. We pray for the salvation of his soul." BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said in a condolence message. Shah's career as an international umpire came to a halt in 2013 after he was banned by BCB for 10 years on corruption charges. Shah was one of six umpires caught in an undercover investigation, including three from Sri Lanka and two from Pakistan. All six were subsequently suspended by their own cricket authorities but they have consistently refuted the allegations. BCB lifted the ban later, which paved the way for Shah to officiate in domestic matches.
