Nadir Shah (umpire)
{{Short description|Bangladeshi cricket umpire (1964–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Nadir Shah
| country = Bangladesh
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1964|2|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Dhaka, East Pakistan
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|9|10|1964|2|7|df=yes}}
| family = Jahangir Shah (brother)
| umpire = true
| testsumpired =
| umptestdebutyr =
| umptestlastyr =
| odisumpired = 40
| umpodidebutyr = 2006
| umpodilastyr = 2011
| t20isumpired = 3
| umpt20idebutyr = 2006
| umpt20ilastyr = 2011
| date = 10 September 2021
| source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/48/48017/48017.html CricketArchive
}}
Nadir Shah (7 February 1964 – 10 September 2021) was an international cricket umpire from Bangladesh. He stood in international matches between 2006 and 2011. He was caught in a sting operation and initially banned for ten years for corruption. The ban was lifted after six years, and he resumed umpiring in domestic cricket in Bangladesh. He died of cancer in September 2021.
Life and career
Nadir Shah was born on 7 February 1964 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/nadir-shah-56060 |title=Nadir Shah |work=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=11 September 2021}} He was the youngest of seven brothers, and developed a passion for cricket from a young age. One of his older brothers, Jahangir Shah played for the Bangladesh national cricket team.{{cite news |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/former-bangladesh-umpire-nadir-shah-passes-away-at-57-after-battle-with-illness-1277193 |title=Former Bangladesh umpire Nadir Shah passes away at 57 after battle with illness |last=Isam |first=Mohammad |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=10 September 2021 |accessdate=11 September 2021}} Nadir, along with some of his other brothers, played in the Dhaka League for a variety of teams. He was described in his obituary in The Daily Star as "a leg-spinner and handy batsman".{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/cricket/news/umpire-nadir-shah-no-more-2172791 |title=Umpire Nadir Shah no more |work=The Daily Star |date=10 September 2021 |accessdate=11 September 2021}} He started umpiring in the 1990s, and worked as a scout for Bangladesh during the 1997 ICC Trophy. He made his international umpiring debut in a One Day International (ODI) between Bangladesh and Kenya at Bogra in March 2006.{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/nadir-shah-56060/matches |title=Debut/last matches – Umpire |work=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=11 September 2021}}
He predominantly stood in matches in Bangladesh, but also umpired during the 2007 ICC World Cricket League Division One in Kenya and the Kenyan tour of Zimbabwe in 2009–10.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/48/48017/Umpire_in_ODI_Matches.html |title=Nadir Shah as Umpire in ODI matches (40) |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=11 September 2021 |url-access=subscription}} He acted as a TV umpire for six Test matches.{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/48/48017/TV_Umpire_in_Test_Matches.html |title=Nadir Shah as TV Umpire in Test matches (6) |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=11 September 2021 |url-access=subscription}} Shah was well-regarded and known to give technical tips to players who were struggling.
In October 2012 he was caught in a TV sting operation appearing to agree to give decisions on demand for money as an umpire during the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. He denied the allegations.{{cite news | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-09/top-stories/34342060_1_sagara-gallage-sri-lankan-umpire-gallage-sharfudoullah | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615044213/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-10-09/top-stories/34342060_1_sagara-gallage-sri-lankan-umpire-gallage-sharfudoullah | url-status=dead | archive-date=15 June 2013 | title=Six cricket umpires 'caught' by TV sting during T20 World Cup | date=9 October 2012 | agency=TNN | accessdate=9 October 2012 | work=The Times of India | location=Mumbai}} In March 2013 he was banned for ten years by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/21834314 |title=Umpire Nadir Shah banned for 10 years by Bangladesh |accessdate=22 March 2013|work=BBC Sport}} In February 2016 the BCB lifted the ban on Shah and he was eligible to umpire in domestic matches in Bangladesh. He continued to umpire until October 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/bangladesh/content/story/975311.html |title=BCB lifts ban on Nadir Shah |accessdate=22 February 2016 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}