Aleem Dar

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Aleem Dar
country = Pakistan
fullname = Aleem Sarwar Dar
living = true
dayofbirth = 6
monthofbirth = 6
yearofbirth = 1968
placeofbirth = Jhang, Punjab
countryofbirth = Pakistan
batting = Right-handed
bowling = Right-arm leg spin
role = Umpire
club1 = Gujranwala
year1 = 1997/98
club2 = Allied Bank Limited
year2 = 1995/96
club3 = Lahore City
year3 = 1987 – 1995
club4 = Pakistan Railways
year4 = 1986/87
type1 = First-class
debutdate1 = 8 February
debutyear1 = 1987
debutfor1 = Pakistan Railways
debutagainst1 = ADBP
lastdate1 = 6 December
lastyear1 = 1997
lastfor1 = Gujranwala
lastagainst1 = Bahawalpur
type2 = List A
debutdate2 = 29 September
debutyear2 = 1986
debutfor2 = Pakistan Railways
debutagainst2 = United Bank Limited
lastdate2 = 23 March
lastyear2 = 1998
lastfor2 = Gujranwala
lastagainst2 = Malaysia
umpire = true
testsumpired = 48
umptestdebutyr = 2003
umptestlastyr = present
odisumpired = 108
umpodidebutyr = 2000
umpodilastyr = present
deliveries = balls
columns = 2
column1 = FC
matches1 = 17
runs1 = 270
bat avg1 = 11.73
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 39
deliveries1 = 740
wickets1 = 11
bowl avg1 = 34.36
fivefor1 = 0
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 3/19
catches/stumpings1 = 5/–
column2 = LA
matches2 = 18
runs2 = 179
bat avg2 = 19.88
100s/50s2 = 0/0
top score2 = 37
deliveries2 = 634
wickets2 = 15
bowl avg2 = 31.66
fivefor2 = 0
tenfor2 = n/a
best bowling2 = 3/27
catches/stumpings2 = 17/–
date = 15 June
year = 2008
source = http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/39157.html Cricinfo

Aleem Sarwar Dar (Born June 6, 1968 in Jhang, Punjab) played Pakistani domestic cricket for Allied Bank, Gujranwala Cricket Association, Lahore, and Railways (Pakistan) as a right-handed batsmen and legbreak bowler.

However, Aleem Dar is best known as an international cricket umpire. He made his international debut in an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Gujranwala on February 16th 2000. In 2002 he became a member of the Emirates International Panel ICC of umpires. He impressed the ICC with his accurate decision making, and was chosen to umpire at the ICC Cricket World Cup in early 2003, where he was one of the better performing umpires. His high standard was again rewarded when he was appointed to stand in his first Test match in October 2003; the match between Bangladesh and England at Dhaka. Over the next six months he was appointed to stand in several more test matches, and as the neutral umpire in ODI matches away from Pakistan.

His consistently excellent performances earned him a promotion, and in April 2004 he became the first Pakistani to be part of the Emirates ICC Elite Umpire Panel. Since then he has been regarded as one of the top umpires, being nominated for the ICC Umpire of the year Award in 2005 and 2006, although he was beaten on both occasions by the Australian Simon Taufel, who is also very highly regarded. On 17 October 2007 Dar umpired in his 100th ODI (between India and Australia at Mumbai), making him the tenth umpire in the history of cricket to reach that landmark. He reached the landmark in record time, taking just seven years, and is this first Pakistani to officiate in a century of One-day internationals.

Dar has stood in numerous high profile matches, including several India-Pakistan ODI matches and five Ashes test matches. He was also one of the on-field umpires for the final of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, standing along side Rudi Koertzen. The highlight of his career so far, however, has been his appointment to stand in the final of the 2007 Cricket World Cup between Australia and Sri Lanka, where he officiated with Steve Bucknor. He has, however, never stood in a test match in Pakistan, because his appointment in the international panel came after the introduction of neutral umpires for test matches.

His career has also had some controversial moments though. These include death threats being made against Dar and his colleague Steve Bucknor during the Test match between England and South Africa at Centurion in January 2005 [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/145643.html Death Threats] ] . Dar also received criticism for two decisions he gave during the England-Australia Test match at Trent Bridge in 2005, giving Damien Martyn out LBW when he had gotten an inside edge on the ball, and then Simon Katich leg before to a delivery which pitched outside leg stump and would have bounced over the stumps Fact|date=June 2008. Aleem Dar's showed very good judgement in an Ashes 2005 match by declaring Andrew Strauss not-out (with Shane Warne bowling) when Strauss appeared to be plumb lbw but had in-fact gotten an edge [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVqbBeocYd4&feature=related Aleem Dar during Ashes 2005 match] ] . He was also involved in controversy in the 2007 Cricket World Cup final where he, along with fellow officials Bucknor, Koertzen, Bowden and Crowe were unaware of the playing conditions regarding the result of a match under the Duckworth-Lewis system, and made Australia bowl three unnecessary overs in near darkness. Consequently the ICC decided to suspend him, along with the other four officials, from duty for the next ICC event, which was the 2007 Twenty20 World Championship.

However, Dar's dedication, professionalism and generally excellent decision-making ability have ensured that he has become one of the world's top rated umpires. On-field he is unobtrusive and unofficious when dealing with the players, and this is also reflected in his signals which are low key and sedate compared to other international umpires, and these are some of the reasons he is so highly regarded by both players and spectators. The fact that Dar's name rarely appears in the press is testament to his ability as an umpire, reflecting that he never tries to impose himself on the games he umpires, and more importantly that he gets decisions right. Notably Dar and Billy Bowden received high praise from many pundits for the standard of umpiring in the series between England and West Indies in June 2007, in which both umpires made many correct decisions in difficult umpiring conditions.

Umpiring Statistics

"Forthcoming Appointments"

References

External links

* [http://content.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/39157.html Profile at Cricinfo website]
* [http://content.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/136525.html News article at Cricinfo about Dar's promotion to Test umpire status]

Persondata
NAME = Aleem Sarwar Dar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Pakistani cricketer and cricket umpire
DATE OF BIRTH = 6 June 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH = Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =