Baramulla: In a proud moment for Kashmir, Asif Iqbal from Khanpora, Baramulla, has been named to the ICC panel of umpires, officiating in the ongoing T20 tri-nation series featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UAE at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Asif (43), who stood as an on-field umpire in the high-octane Pakistan-Afghanistan clash on September 2, began his journey from the narrow lanes of Baramulla where he first played cricket, in the absence of proper playgrounds.
His family, while recalling his early passion, said, Asif used to play in the bylanes as there was no ground here. “It’s not just our pride, but the pride of the whole Baramulla, in fact the entire valley.”
After basic schooling in Baramulla, Asif pursued higher studies at Aligarh before moving to Dubai for work. In 2017, he completed his Level-1 umpiring course in Dubai and later trained in Sri Lanka, which paved the way for his international career.
Local Auqaf Head, Malik Shabir expressed joy at Asif’s feat while highlighting the lack of sports infrastructure in the town.
“Despite no adequate infrastructure, he made it this far. Our youth have talent, but dilapidated grounds are holding them back. We urge the administration to upgrade facilities,” he said.
Mohammed Rafiq Bhat, a JKCA umpire, described Asif as his mentor, and said whenever he had doubts, he would call Asif.
“He even took Zoom sessions for me to clear things up. He has been a constant source of guidance and motivation,” Bhat said.
According to the accessed details, Aasif Iqbal has officiated in multiple high-profile T20 Internationals, beginning with the UAE vs. Pakistan match on 29 August 2025 in Sharjah (T20I #3426), followed by UAE vs. Afghanistan on 31 August and Afghanistan vs. Pakistan on 1 September.
Between 2021 and 2025, he has umpired 21 T20 matches, placing him among the most active officials globally. In 2024, he also stood in three men’s ODIs and three Women’s ODIs, demonstrating versatility across formats. (KNO)
