Simon Taufel, regarded as one of the best umpires in world cricket and winner of five ICC Umpire of the year award finally gets his first chance to officiate in an ICC World Cup final.
Thanks to Australia’s elimination at the hands of India in the quarter-finals at Ahmedabad, the 39 year old will stand with Pakistan’s Aleem Dar at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.
The 42-year old Dar was the on-field umpire with West Indies’ Steve Bucknor in the 2007 final played between Australia and Sri Lanka. Bucknor and David Shepherd officiated the final of the 2003 and 1999 world cups played in South Africa and England.
Taufel who has run umpires’s seminar for Indian umpires in Bangalore has officiated in 166 one-day internationals, including 22 World Cup matches, while Dar has stood in 145 one-day internationals, including 21 World Cup matches. While Taufel officiated his first ODI in January 1999, Dar officiated his first ODI in February 2000.
Taufel, Dar, Ian Gould (third umpire) and Steve Davies (fourth umpire) featured in seven matches in the run up to the final.
