| |
Muhammad Riaz Chaudhry
Short in stature but he towers magnificently over the rest in his field. Friendly and easy going but firm and balanced in his decision making. Muhammad Riaz Chaudhry, the 49 year old umpire from Kuwait has stepped onto another platform in the world of cricket. He has the distinct honour to be chosen to stand in the World Cup Qualifying Series (WCQS) Division II in Malaysia this month. The Kuwait Cricket Association will take pride in the double take of having its team vie for a place with the big guns in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies while sending Chaudhry to stand in this very prestigious series of teams among the non-test playing nations of Asia.
Riaz Chaudhry gained a full membership of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, a body which regulates standards of officials worldwide, way back in 1986. His passion for the game and its Laws drew him deeper into the understanding of the essentials of their interpretation and took up regular umpiring in Kuwait when organized tournaments were in its infancy. Being a wily leg spinner himself, he had the player’s perspective of the game and translated that important ingredient into his on field game management. Gradually and as Kuwait gained its rightful place among affiliate members of the ICC and the ACC, there were two pronged development plans set in motion. First, the tournaments, their formats and administration took a healthy revamping. Then, the mighty resources of the ICC and ACC were suddenly at Kuwait’s door step. Not least of these resources were the ample exposure opportunities for officials and administrators to draw from the abundance of experience and knowledge from the senior countries in the region.
Umpiring was a huge priority and Chaudhry enjoyed the benefits of Centralized Umpiring Courses in Bangladesh and Malaysia and five local courses held in Kuwait.
Before long his ability and dedication had to be recognized and was selected to stand in the ACC U15 Asia Cup in UAE in 2002 and the ACC U17 Gulf Cup in Doha Qatar in 2003. Now, the WCQS is the biggest feather in Riaz Chaudhry’s cap. Arguably the best umpire in the middle east, his impeccable on-field manners and quiet calming influence when things go out of hand have made him not just popular but extremely likable. Most cricketers would agree that he is not only knowledgeable but also has a good acumen of judgment. These coupled with his immaculate temperament make him a gentleman with infinite potential. With a little bit of luck, who knows where Chaudhry will end up. He has the stuff in him. He just needs that much more experience at a higher level and a lucky exposure to impress the powers that be.
Muhammad Riaz Chaudhry has done Kuwait cricket proud and the entire cricketing fraternity will wish him well in the future.
|
|
