LAHORE (National Times) – Former ICC elite panel umpire and Pakistan First Class cricketer Asad Rauf passed away in Lahore due to cardiac arrest on Wednesday at age 66.

Rauf’s brother Tahir Rauf has confirmed the sad news. He said that Asad died due to cardiac arrest soon after he returned from his shop in Lahore on Wednesday night.

Rauf was former National Bank Of Pakistan (NBP) and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) first class player and played 71 first class and 40 List A matches.

His career as an umpire really started in 1998 when he made his first-class debut, and in 2000 he stood in his first ODI. He was elevated to the ODI panel in 2004 and officiated in his first Test the following year. In April 2006 he was appointed to the ICC Elite Panel.

Rauf had officiated 170 international matches while being a top umpire with the ICC. He stood as an umpire in 49 Tests, 90 One Day Internationals and 23 Twenty20 Internationals.