Not often do match officials become a conversation starter. However, Bangladesh's Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat's involvement as umpire in the IND vs NZ 2nd ODI in Rajkot raised eyebrows. Saikat officiated the first ODI in Baroda as well as BCB continue insist on security risks on traveling to India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

While the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) continue to assert security risks of travelling to India, one of their own is in India for the IND vs NZ ODI series. BCB have made it clear to the ICC that they won't travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 citing player safety. Ironically, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat, an umpire from Bangladesh is currently in India, officiating in the IND vs NZ 2nd ODI in Rajkot.

Saikat was the on field umpire for the IND vs NZ 1st ODI in Baroda on Sunday. He assumed the same duties on Wednesday as well. Match officials are appointed by ICC and have no involvement of the BCCI or the BCB.

"He (Saikat) is ICC-contracted umpire... In our contract it is written that when he has any ICC assignment, he will be on leave from us. It will be an automatic leave and I don’t need to give any NOC," chairman of BCB’s umpire department told Cricbuzz earlier this week.

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat is an ICC Elite Panel umpire since March 2024. He has officiated in 32 Tests, 119 ODIs and 75 T20Is, and currently heads the BCB’s umpire education department. Other than the IND vs NZ ODIs, Saikat is expected to officiate in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup as well.