Asad Rauf, who umpired in one hundred and seventy international matches between 2000 and 2013, was part of the elite panel of ICC umpires too, now runs a shop selling clothes and shoes in Landa Bazaar at Lahore and he has no interest in the game anymore.
At the peak of his umpiring career, Pakistan’s Asad Rauf was regarded as one of the best in the world. His inclusion on the ICC Elite Panel demonstrated his brilliance.
In a recent interview given to a Pakistani news channel, Paktv.tv, Rauf said “I haven’t been in touch with the game since 2013, because once I leave something I leave it completely.”
When asked if he still follows cricket these days, Rauf replied, No, I’ve umpired in so many games all my life, there’s no one left to see now.”
Rauf was banned for five years by the BCCI in 2016 after its disciplinary committee judged him guilty of corrupt practises and bringing the game into disgrace after he was accused of accepting costly gifts from bookies and being involved in a match-fixing scandal during the IPL 2013.
Rauf has no regrets and is happy doing what he is. Running a shop though does not indicate that he is battling any sort of financial setback. However, now that Rauf has taken up the task, he wants to excel at the job in hand.
“It is my habit to reach the peak of whatever work I do. I started work as a shopkeeper, I have reached its peak. I played cricket; I reached the peak. And then when I started out as an umpire, I said to myself that I need to reach the peak here as well,” added Rauf. “I have no greed. I have seen a lot of money, and I have seen the world, with protocol. One of my sons is a special child. The other one has just come back from America (US) after completing his graduation.”
Rauf, who owns a clothes and shoe store, claims he is doing the labour to meet the needs of his employees rather than his own.
