Former Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf turns into a shopkeeper after a ban imposed by the cricket's governing board

Former Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf has now turned into a shopkeeper in Lahore's Landa Bazaar after receiving a ban by the BCCI. Rauf stood in 9 Tests, 98 ODIs, and 23 T20Is as an umpire, and was a part of the elite panel of ICC umpires. However, he no longer watches the game or is involved with it in any way.

"Nahi, maine saari umar jab khud hi khila diye toh ab dekhna kisko hai. Maine 2013 ke baad cricket se bilkul hi…..kyunki mai jo kaam chhodta hu usko chhod hi deta hu. (No, I’ve umpired in so many games all my life, there’s no one left to see now. I haven’t been in touch with the game since 2013, because once I leave something I leave it completely.)," he said in a recent interview with a Pakistani news channel, Paktv.tv.

Rauf was banned for five years by the BCCI in 2016 after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of corrupt practices and bringing the game into disrepute. He was accused of accepting expensive gifts from bookies and being involved in a match-fixing scandal during the Indian T20 League in 2013.

"I have spent my best time in IPL, apart from these issues that came later on. Unse mera toh koi lena dena tha hi nahi, wo unhi (BCCI) ki taraf se aaye aur unhone hi decision le liye (I had nothing to do with these issues, the allegations came from the BCCI’s side and they took the decision on me themselves)," he said.

Rauf was also in the news in 2012 after a Mumbai-based model accused him of sexual exploitation. The model said she had an affair with the Pakistan umpire that was extended due to the latter's promise of marriage, which he eventually broke. When confronted about the claims, Rauf, who rejected them 10 years ago, held firm.

"Ladki waala maamla jab aaya tha, toh mai to uske agle saal bhi IPL krwane gaya tha (Even after the allegations from the girl, I had umpired in the IPL next season)," Rauf said.

Rauf stated that the players and even their partners appreciated his company off the field. Meri aadat hi hai aisi, jolly mood, ki players, even unki begumaat bhi meri company ke liye har waqat taiyaar rehti hai ki Asad bhai aapki company mai bada enjoy krte hai (I have this habit, to be of jolly mood, that the players, even their wives, are always ready to be accompanied by me saying, ‘Asad Bhai, we enjoy your company’)," he said.

The Landa Bazar in Lahore is well-known for its low-cost apparel, shoes, and other things. Rauf, who has built his own shop from the ground up, claims he is undertaking the job to meet the requirements of his employees rather than his own.

"Bhai, ye mera kaam Nahi hai, ye mere staff ki rozi lagi hui hai, ye mai unke liye krta hu (This isn’t for me, this is the daily wages of my staff, I work for them). I have no greed. I have seen a lot of money, and I have seen the world, with protocol. One of my sons is a special child. The other one has just come back from America (US) after completing his graduation. I read the Namaz five times a day. My wife reads the Namaz five times a day," he said.

"Meri aadat hai, jis kaam ko shuru karta hu uski peak pe jaata hu. Maine landai ka kaam shuru kiya hai, iski bhi peak pe mai gaya hu. Maine cricket kheli hai toh iski bhi peak pe mai gaya hu. Aur phir maine umpiring shuru ki, toh maine socha ki iski bhi peak pe hi jaana chahiye (It is my habit to reach the peak of whatever work I do. I started work as a shopkeeper, I have reached its peak. I played cricket, I reached the peak. And then when I started out as an umpire, I said to myself that I need to reach the peak here as well)," the 66-year-old went on to say.