Aleem Sarwar Dar (Born June 6, 1968 in Jhang, Punjab) played Pakistani domestic cricket for Allied Bank, Gujranwala Cricket Association, Lahore, and Railways (Pakistan) as a right-handed batsmen and legbreak bowler.He was educated at Islamia College, Lahore. Aleem Dar is best known as an international cricket umpire. He made his international debut in an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Gujranwala on February 16th 2000. In 2002 he became a member of the International Panel ICC of umpires. He impressed the ICC with his accurate decision making, and was chosen to umpire at the ICC Cricket World Cup in early 2003, where he was one of the better performing umpires. His high standard was again rewarded when he was appointed to stand in his first Test match in October 2003; the match between Bangladesh and England at Dhaka. Over the next six months he was appointed to stand in several more test matches, and as the neutral umpire in ODI matches away from Pakistan. In April 2004 he became the first Pakistani to be part of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel. Since then he has been regarded as one of the top umpires, being nominated for the ICC Umpire of the year Award in 2005 and 2006, although he was beaten on both occasions by the Australian Simon Taufel, who is also very highly regarded. On 17 October 2007 Dar umpired in his 100th ODI (between India and Australia at Mumbai), making him the tenth umpire in the history of cricket to reach that landmark. He reached the landmark in record time, taking just seven years, and is this first Pakistani to officiate in a century of one-day internationals. Dar has stood in numerous high profile matches, including several India-Pakistan ODI matches and five Ashes test matches. He was also one of the on-field umpires for the final of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, standing alongside Rudi Koertzen. The highlight of his career so far, however, has been his appointment to stand in the final of the 2007 Cricket World Cup between Australia and Sri Lanka, where he officiated with Steve Bucknor. He has, however, never stood in a test match in Pakistan, because his appointment in the international panel came after the introduction of neutral umpires for test matches. His career has also had some controversial moments and has been marred by some decisions that have been the most bizarre in modern cricket. He has also received death threats against he and his colleague Steve Bucknor during the Test match between England and South Africa at Centurion in January 2005 . Dar also received criticism for two decisions he gave during the England-Australia Test match at Trent Bridge in 2005, giving Damien Martyn out LBW when he had clearly hit the ball with the bat, and then Simon Katich LBW to a delivery which pitched outside leg stump and would have bounced over the stumps. . In October 2009, Dar was awarded the Umpire of the Year award, at the annual ICC awards.Pakistan's Aleem Dar ended Simon Taufel's monopoly to claim the Umpire of the Year award. It was the first time that anyone other than Taufel had picked up the accolade in the six years that the ceremony has taken place.
