- Shakoor Rana
Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Shakoor Rana
country = Pakistan
fullname = Shakoor Rana
dayofbirth = 3
monthofbirth = 4
yearofbirth = 1936
placeofbirth =Amritsar
countryofbirth =India
dayofdeath = 9
monthofdeath = 4
yearofdeath = 2001
placeofdeath =Lahore , Punjab
countryofdeath =Pakistan
umpire = true
columns = 0
testsumpired = 18
umptestdubutyr = 1975
umptestlastyr = 1996
odisumpired = 22
umpodidebutyr = 1977
umpodilastyr = 1996
date = 9 April
year = 2001
source = http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/42881.html CricinfoShakoor Rana (April 3 1936 – April 9 2001) was one of the most controversial
cricket umpires in history. He was born inAmritsar ,India .Playing career
Shakoor Rana did not have a particularly distinguished playing career, making only 11 first class appearances and accumulating just 226 runs and 12
wicket s. He was overshadowed by his brothersShafqat Rana andAzmat Rana who both representedPakistan at test level.Umpiring career
Shakoor Rana became much more notable for his umpiring than his playing career. He made his international debut as an umpire in 1974 at
Lahore , the city that had become his hometown. The match was betweenPakistan and theWest Indies . His career continued until his last match betweenPakistan andNew Zealand in 1996 also at Lahore. He stood in 18 test matches and 22One Day International . He was well-known for the quickness of giving visiting batsmen out, sometimes before the bowler even started to appeal.Gatting controversy
In one of the most controversial incidents in cricketing history, Shakoor Rana notably came face-to-face with
Mike Gatting in the finger-wagging incident that stopped theFaislabad test in 1987. The image of the English cricket captain and an international umpire shouting at each other with fingers waved in the other's face was a shocking one for the image of the game.The incident in question occurred on the second day of the test as Gatting made an alteration to the fielding positions as Eddie Hemmings ran in to bowl. Rana stopped the game and accused Gatting of cheating. Rana had already upset the English by wearing a Pakistan sweater and placing
Mudassar Nazar 's cap on his own head. The game was stopped by the incident and only resumed the following day. Rana and Gatting were both accused of using foul language [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2000/england_on_tour/976662.stm BBC SPORT | ENGLAND ON TOUR | Gatt regrets Rana row ] ] . Shakoor refused to stand again in that Test until he received an unconditional apology from Gatting for the language used in the dispute. Gatting was threatened with being stripped of the England captaincy and was forced into issuing a written apology to Rana. Gatting has since expressed regret at his part in the row. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2000/england_on_tour/976662.stm BBC SPORT | ENGLAND ON TOUR | Gatt regrets Rana row ] ]According to one BBC article, England players who were there have always maintained that Shakoor was egged on by the Pakistan captain Javed Miandad because Pakistan were in danger of losing that Test [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/1271084.stm BBC SPORT | CRICKET | Shakoor's unforgettable legacy ] ] .
Coney incident
Gatting was not the only international captain to have had a run-in with Rana. New Zealand captain
Jeremy Coney threatened to lead his side from the field following a controversial decision of not-out for Pakistan playerJaved Miandad . [ [http://content-www.cricinfo.com/slc/content/story/257492.html Pakistan's protest not the first] ]Legacy
The controversy surrounding Shakoor Rana was a driver in the move towards neutral umpires at test matches. The home side had previously supplied the umpires but the
International Cricket Council have since brought in neutral officials.References
External links
* [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/columns/content/player/42881.html Cricinfo data]
* [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wcm/content/story/226916.html Gatting controversy quotes]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/1271084.stm BBC obituary]
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