Bangladesh umpire Sharfuddoula officiating in India-New Zealand ODIs

A Bangladesh Cricket Board official has confirmed that umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat, an ICC contracted umpire, is present in India to officiate in the ongoing three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

This comes after the BCB formally requested the ICC to shift its 2026 T20 World Cup fixtures out of India, citing the security and well-being of its players amid deteriorating diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The matter has escalated ever since the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, following the BCCI’s instruction. The BCCI did not provide any reason behind the move apart from citing “recent developments” through their secretary Devajit Saikia.

In that backdrop, eyebrows were bound to be raised when Saikat was named in the roster as a TV umpire for the first India-New Zealand ODI at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 11.

Iftekhar Rahman, BCB's umpire department chairman, confirmed Saikat does not need a no-objection certificate from the board and is free to be present whenever the ICC requires his service. Saikat is also working as the head of BCB's Umpire Education Department.

"He (Saikat) is ICC contracted umpire and we are saying this clearly that he is not contracted with us (BCB),” Iftekhar was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “Now, in our contract it is written that when he has any ICC assignment, he will automatically be on leave from us. It will be an automatic leave and I don't need to give any NOC. In the job contract he has with me, it is written that if he has any ICC engagement, he must be automatically released. There is no authority for me to decide whether I give permission or not.”

Saikat and Gazi Sohel, another ICC contracted umpire from Bangladesh, are expected to be the match officials in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.