Rauf retires from all forms of umpiring: Report

Tainted Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf has retired from all forms of umpiring duties due to personal commitments, a report claimed in Karachi.

A report on the website of Express newspaper said that Rauf had made up his mind to retire from all forms of umpiring.

Rauf was quoted as saying in the report that being an international or domestic umpire required constant travelling which meant he couldn't give a lot of time to his family or private business.

Rauf said he now wanted to give quality time to his ailing son, family and his private business which is why he had decided to quit umpiring.

Rauf, 57, who was dropped from the ICC elite panel in June officiated in 48 Tests, 98 ODIs and 23 T20 matches as an international umpire.

Rauf, who hails from Lahore, came under the spotlight this year when his name was cropped up in the police investigations of the IPL spot-fixing scandal which cost him a chance to officiate in the Champions Trophy in England.

The ICC later dropped him from its elite panel of umpires list, stating that it had taken the decision on basis of his performance.

Interestingly, the Pakistan Cricket Board also didn't appoint him for its high profile Ramazan T20 Corporate Cup held last month in Karachi, confirming suspicions about his role in the spot-fixing scam.

Image: Asad Rauf

Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images