IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Bangladesh's Sharfadoulla Saikat returns as third umpire amid T20 World cup controversy
Saikat continued his role as third umpire as scheduled, under ICC regulations, despite the off-field tension related to the T20 World Cup 2026.
Bangladesh umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat continued in his role as the third umpire for the third and final ODI between India and New Zealand in Indore on Sunday. This came despite ongoing tensions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over security concerns related to the T20 World Cup 2026.
For the third ODI at the Holkar Stadium, KN Ananthapadmanabhan and Richard Illingworth served as the on-field umpires. Sharfuddoula Saikat was the third umpire, Rohan Pandit was the fourth umpire, and Javagal Srinath acted as the match referee. The BCCI made no changes to the officials’ panel, even after the recent India–Bangladesh row during the U19 World Cup handshake controversy.
The presence of a Bangladeshi umpire in India surprised many fans, as the BCB had recently asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move their T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. However, the BCB cannot stop Saikat from officiating in India because he is an ICC-contracted umpire.
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Security Concerns and ICC Clarification
The tension between the two boards increased after Bangladesh asked the ICC to move its T20 World Cup 2026 matches out of India, citing security concerns. However, the ICC confirmed that Sharfuddoula Saikat is an ICC-contracted umpire and does not need any clearance or a No Objection Certificate from the BCB to officiate in India. BCB Umpire Department Chairman Iftekhar Rahman also said that Saikat is automatically released for ICC duties and that the Bangladesh board cannot stop him from officiating.
Toss Update and Team Changes
At the toss in Indore, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first. He said chasing would be better at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium, even though India had earlier scored 385 and 399 when batting first at the venue. India made one change, bringing in Arshdeep Singh in place of Prasidh Krishna, while New Zealand fielded the same playing XI from the Rajkot ODI.
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