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International Domestic

After over 100 FC matches, umpire Amish Saheba calls it a day

20th Nov, 2019

After officiating in over 100 first-class matches, three Test matches, 51 ODIs and four T20Is, veteran umpire Amish Saheba retired following the Assam-Bengal game of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 18th November, 2019.

Saheba, who made his first-class debut as a No. 3 batsman in the Ranji Trophy match between Gujarat and Saurashtra in Rajkot in December, 1983, played 15 first-class games and scored 5 half-centuries. 

Saheba is from the 1990 batch of BCCI Umpires when the Board had conducted the exam for former players. He was on the ICC International Panel of Umpires in 2006-07. 

He made his debut as an umpire in December, 1993 in a Ranji Trophy match between Maharashtra and Mumbai at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium in Thane. He officiated in his first ODI between India and Zimbabwe at Rajkot in December, 2000. 

He was appointed to officiate in 117 first-class matches as an on-field umpire. However, in four matches toss was not conducted due to unplayable conditions. He finished his career with 113 first-class matches, which is the most by an Indian umpire.

Although he stood in his first Test Match on 11th December, 2008 at Dunedin (New Zealand vs West Indies), he had an opportunity to stand in a Test Match between India and Pakistan at Eden Gardens on the 4th day in December, 2007 after on-field umpire Billy Raymond Doctrove fell ill.

He received the Best Umpire award for the 2008-09 season from the BCCI and was the first recipient of it.