Ahsan Raza (born 29 May 1974 in Lahore, Pakistan) is a Pakistani cricket umpire and former cricketer.[1] In November 2020, in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, he officiated in his 50th T20I match as an on-field umpire, becoming the first umpire to reach the milestone in T20I cricket.[2]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ahsan Raza | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 May 1974 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Batsman, Wicket-keeper, Umpire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Faisalabad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2000 | Habib Bank Limited | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Lahore City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Sargodha | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First-class debut | 27 October 1993 Habib Bank Ltd v PAC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last First-class | 29 January 2000 Habib Bank Ltd v Islamabad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| List A debut | 26 November 1993 Habib Bank Ltd v PAC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last List A | 4 October 1999 Habib Bank Ltd v Gujranwala | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Umpiring information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tests umpired | 11 (2021–2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODIs umpired | 52 (2010–2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20Is umpired | 74 (2010–2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WODIs umpired | 12 (2013–2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WT20Is umpired | 16 (2015–2021) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 23 November 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
Ahsan Raza played for a number of Pakistani teams including Faisalabad, Habib Bank Limited, Lahore and Sargodha.[1][3][4][5]
Umpiring career
Ahsan Raza is Pakistan's nominated third umpire on the International Cricket Council International Panel of Umpires and Referees.[6] He made his debut as a first-class umpire in 2006 and had umpired 35 matches by the end of February 2009.[7] He got a contract as an umpire from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) along with Zameer Haider and Shozab Raza in 2012.[8]
He was among the on-field umpires for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup,[9] and the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20.[10] In October 2019, he was appointed as one of the twelve umpires to officiate matches in the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the United Arab Emirates.[11]
In February 2020, the ICC named him as one of the umpires to officiate in matches during the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.[12] Raza was also named as one of the two on-field umpires for the final of the tournament.[13] In December 2020, he was shortlisted as one of the Umpire of the Year for the 2020 PCB Awards.[14]
In January 2021, he umpired in his first Test match, in Pakistan's home series against South Africa.[15]
In March 2023, Raza and Adrian Holdstock from South Africa were inducted in the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires after Aleem Dar left the panel.[16][17]
In September 2023, he was named as one of the sixteen match officials for 2023 Cricket World Cup.[18][19]
Attack
On 3 March 2009, Ahsan Raza was injured in an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.[20] He was shot twice and was in a serious condition in a Lahore hospital.[21][22]