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.
