Pakistan for neutral umpires for one-day matches
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

KARACHI: Pakistan have called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to introduce neutral umpires for one-day internationals, according to a source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

In a letter written to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, the PCB has also asked for a review of all umpiring decisions in the one-day series in Australia.

PCB director of media Abbas Zaidi confirmed a letter had been sent on the subject of umpiring but declined to give details. "It is a confidential document and we would not like to discuss it in public," Zaidi said on Sunday.

A source told British premier news agency Reuters that Pakistan felt the umpiring in the triangular series, which also involved West Indies, had been inconsistent and that the ICC needed to review some of the decisions given in their games.

"It is not a complaint about the umpiring. But the Pakistan board has suggested that, like in test matches, neutral umpires should now supervise the ODIs," a source said.

"Another suggestion is that umpires should make more use of the modern technology available to them while ruling on contentious caught behind or leg before decisions."

The ICC introduced an elite panel of umpires for test matches in 2002, with officials coming from neutral countries for each series. For one-day internationals, one neutral umpire and one from the host country are appointed.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, asked about the issue after his side lost a best-of-three final against Australia in Sydney on Sunday, said: "I don't have a problem with one-day umpiring...but I think it's good for the game to have neutral umpires. There is a lot of pressure and umpires are human too."●