Sports Desk:

The Umpires Department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) arranged a one-day workshop at the BCB Media Center with all the contracted umpires in the system, aiming to upskill them through knowledge sharing.

ICC Elite Panel umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat, along with International Panel umpires Gazi Sohel, Masudur Rahman Mukul, Morshed Ali Khan, Tanvir Ahmed, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Rokeya Sultana, Champa Chakma, Dolly Rani Sarkar, and other umpires currently in the system, were present at the workshop.

When asked about the purpose of the session, Masudur Rahman Mukul spoke to journalist about the focus on knowledge sharing.

“There’s a lot in the books, of course. But the match situation is different. The discussion is about how we make decisions in those pressure moments. Saikat is sharing his experience from the India-England series. We might be talking about something from the Pakistan series,” he said.

“We’ll try to do more of this knowledge sharing whenever we get some free time. It could be after a series, during the off-season, or even before a series. For example, if there’s a tri-nation series in August, then such sessions will come in handy,” he added.

Mukul also shared his views on how to handle pressure as a Bangladeshi umpire, especially given the intense scrutiny they face on the international stage.

“Look, we have 180 million people. If you make a mistake, people talk, and it creates a lot of pressure. We discussed how to move forward from a bad decision—which happens to everyone—and focus on the job. These days, decision-making isn’t the only important aspect of umpiring; there are several other elements attached to it. It’s about how we manage the game, the timing, and everything else,” he explained.

The ICC has recently implemented several changes to the playing conditions for international cricket, including adjustments to the two-ball rule in ODIs, the introduction of a stop clock for Tests, and new powerplay rules for shortened T20 matches. Updates also include changes regarding boundary catches, concussion replacements, and the pace of play in Test matches. These changes came into effect on 2 July 2025.

International umpires also demonstrated their decision-making processes through presentations. “So recently, we have seen some of the playing conditions change. Those who officiated under the new rules shared their views and experiences. It has been a very fruitful session since we have exchanged a lot of knowledge and insights,” said Rokeya Sultana.