Richard Illingworth will become the first neutral umpire to officiate in a Test match since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic when he officiates in the upcoming first Test of the two-match series between Bangladesh and West Indies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Bangladesh doesn't have an umpire in the ICC's Elite Panel and that's why the International Cricket Council appointed Illingworth as the umpire for the match beginning February 3 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, as per a report in ESPNcricinfo.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 57-year-old will officiate the two Tests alongside home umpire Sharfuddoula, who will stand in his first Test match, the report further said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Illingworth arrived in Chattogram on Sunday, 11 days before the first Test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The ICC, when in June last year international cricket resumed after the global lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic, had temporarily removed neutral umpires for all international formats owing to the "current logistical challenges with international travel".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In December, West Indies Test captain Jason Holder had said that if players were travelling for Tests, neutral umpires could too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I still don't understand a situation where we're just having home umpires. If players are making the sacrifice and going on the road and continuing cricket then I feel as though the umpires should do the same," Holder had said after the culmination of the Test series in New Zealand. "Even if it's a case where you get a home and an opposing umpire to do a Test match then I think that's fair," he added.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2021\/01\/illingworth-1st-neutral-umpire-to-officiate-in-tests-since-covid-19-pandemic.jpg", "alt_img": "Cricket Image for Illingworth 1st Neutral Umpire To Officiate In Tests Since Covid-19 Pandemic", "alt_title": "Richard Illingworth ", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "Illingworth 1st Neutral Umpire To Officiate In Tests Since Covid-19 Pandemic On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "Richard Illingworth will become the first neutral umpire to officiate in a Test match since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.", "seo_keywords": "West Indies Tour Of Bangladesh, Richard Illingworth", "tag": "", "tagging": "West Indies Tour Of Bangladesh,Richard Illingworth,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "illingworth-1st-neutral-umpire-to-officiate-in-tests-since-covid-19-pandemic", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "2641", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2021-01-26 12:27:21", "updated": "2021-01-26 12:27:40", "img_from": "Richard Illingworth (Image Source - Google)", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": "West Indies, Bangladesh, Richard Illingworth, Umpire, Neutral Umpire, Test", "livescore_text": "", "livescore_link": "", "btn_text": "", "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "1", "posted_by": "21", "jio_date": "2021-01-26 12:27:21", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2021-01-26 12:27:21", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/illingworth-1st-neutral-umpire-to-officiate-in-tests-since-covid-19-pandemic-70714" }