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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) overlooked its umpire on the International Cricket Council (ICC) panel while releasing umpires' postings for the Test series against the West Indies to be played in Sharjah.

Riazuddin, who is on the ICC panel, was reduced to a TV umpire for the first Test to be officiated by Mian Aslam. Shakeel Khan will stand in the other Test.

So much so, Riaz was not even considered good enough for the one-day series for which the PCB named four umpires.

The PCB's decision is mindboggling, strange and contradicts its policy of promoting its umpires on ICC panel. The PCB has been complaining to the ICC that its umpires have been repeatedly ignored.

The PCB has also been trying to get at least one of its umpire on the elite eight-umpire panel which will be introduced in April. But here, the PCB has weakened its case as well as of Riaz since it has itself not considered him good enough to stand in the centre.

To rub salt into the wound, Asad Rauf, a former first-class player who took up umpiring about five years ago, has been given three matches.

Controversial Englishman Mike Denness, who penalized six Indian cricketers on the tour to South Africa late last year, has been appointed as match referee by the ICC. The mother body has yet to confirm third country umpires.

The following is the tour itinerary with umpire postings:

Jan 31-Feb 4: First Test (ICC umpire, Mian Aslam. TV umpire: Riazuddin).

Feb 7-Feb 11: Second Test (ICC umpire, Shakeel Khan. Tv umpire: Asad Rauf).

Feb 13: First One-day International (Salim Badar, Nadeem Ghauri. TV umpire: Asad Rauf).

Feb 15: Second One-day International (Aleem Dar, Asad Rauf. TV umpire: Salim Badar).

Feb 17: Third One-day International (Salim Badar, Aleem Dar. TV umpire: Nadeem Ghauri).

Pakistan and the West Indies teams are scheduled to arrive in Sharjah on Jan 27.

© Dawn