✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Asad Rauf

Asad Rauf biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Asad Rauf Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth12 May 1956

Age66 (at time of death)

BirthplaceLahore, Punjab, Pakistan

ProfessionCricket Umpire, Cricketer

NationalityPakistani

Marital statusMarried

FamilyTwo sons; brothers Tahir Rauf and Adnan Rauf

Asad Rauf Biography

Asad Rauf was a Pakistani cricketer-turned-umpire from Lahore who served on the ICC Elite Panel and officiated Tests, ODIs and T20Is. He stood in major ICC

Early life and background

Asad Rauf was born on 12 May 1956 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. He attended Government College University in Lahore and lived in his hometown throughout his life. Physically, he was about 1.73 m (5'8") tall with black hair and black eyes. A practicing Muslim, Rauf spent most of his adult life involved in domestic Pakistani cricket in multiple capacities.

Career

Rauf began his playing career in Pakistan’s domestic circuits in the late 1970s. He debuted in first-class cricket in November 1977 for Pakistan Universities and went on to represent teams such as Pakistan Railways, Lahore and the National Bank of Pakistan through the 1980s and early 1990s. He batted right-handed and bowled right-arm off-spin, though he never appeared in international cricket as a player.

Transitioning to umpiring in 1998, Rauf moved steadily up the officiating ranks. He joined the International Panel of Umpires in 2004 and was promoted to the ICC’s Emirates Elite Panel in 2006. As an international umpire he stood in 47 Test matches, 98 One-Day Internationals and 23 Twenty20 Internationals. His first ODI as an umpire came in a Pakistan versus Sri Lanka match in 2000, his first Test was Bangladesh versus Zimbabwe in 2005, and his first T20 international was India versus Afghanistan in 2012. He also officiated in Indian Premier League fixtures, with one of his last recorded on-field appearances in the IPL being the 2013 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.

Public profile

Rauf’s career included high-profile moments and controversies that affected his public standing. In 2012 a Mumbai-based model filed an FIR making personal allegations; Rauf publicly denied the relationship and characterized the publicity as unfounded. A more consequential episode came in 2013 when his name surfaced during investigations into spot-fixing related to the IPL. The ICC withdrew him from the panel of match officials for the 2013 Champions Trophy, and Mumbai police later charged him in connection with betting and related offences. In 2016 he was found guilty in relation to those events and received a five-year ban from the ICC; Rauf consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining there was no concrete evidence against him.

Outside cricket

Media coverage noted aspects of Rauf’s life beyond the field. Reports mentioned he had undergone open heart surgery twice and that he occasionally smoked afterwards. Later in life he ran a second-hand clothing and shoe shop in Lahore’s Landa Bazaar. In interviews he spoke about the challenges facing umpiring in Pakistan, pointing to limited financial incentives and a shortage of technical support for officials.

Personal life

Rauf was married and had two sons. One son named Fahad Malik worked as a sales manager; the other son’s name was not widely reported and was described in media accounts as a special child. He had brothers named Tahir Rauf and Adnan Rauf. Asad Rauf died on 14 September 2022 in Lahore; reports gave the cause of death as cardiac arrest. He was 66 years old at the time of his passing.

Latest updates

In interviews given before his death, Rauf continued to defend his reputation regarding the 2013 controversy and discussed the state of umpiring in Pakistan. Media stories in 2022 also highlighted his return to civilian life in Lahore, noting his shop at Landa Bazaar and his remarks about the umpiring profession.
◈

Recent Work

Umpiring in international matches

Stood in Tests, ODIs and T20Is through to 2013, including IPL fixtures

2000-2013
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Member of the ICC Emirates Elite Umpire Panel (promoted 2006)
  2. Umpired 47 Test matches, 98 ODIs and 23 T20 Internationals
  3. Made first-class playing debut in 1977 and later transitioned to umpiring
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Asad Rauf born?

12 May 1956

What is Asad Rauf known for?

Cricket Umpire, Cricketer

What is Asad Rauf’s marital status?

Married