Dar, who had stood in the 2007 World Cup final in the Caribbean along with Steve Bucknor and was suspended by the ICC for misinterpreting the playing conditions, has clearly put that embarrassment behind him and is looking forward to standing in the final for the second-time running.
Dar, who is here to officiate in the Bangladesh-Ireland game on Friday, spoke about the increasing use of technology, the challenges before on-field umpires, the games players play and a whole lot more, in the course of an exclusive interview. Excerpts:
How is officiating in the World Cup different from supervising in other high-profile series?
It is not different at all. I believe an umpire should approach a game with the same focus irrespective of whether he is officiating in a Test match or ODI or T20 or a first-class match; whether technology is being used or not being used. The WC being a big stage, there is some added pressure on the umpires as well, especially in the knock-out stage where a human error can affect a team's chances.
With the ICC embracing technology big-time, don't you think the role of on-field umpires is being undermined?
Personally, I am quite happy to see cricket embrace more and more technology, provided it has been tried and tested. It is however, important that the technology is applied uniformly and consistently across all matches and in all three formats of the game. It is important to arrive at the correct decision,, if not all the time, but on most occasions.
Can you please explain this new fad where umpires check with the third umpire about no-ball before a dismissed batsman walks off the field?
I had suggested this at an ICC workshop few years back. Let me explain this. There are many bowlers, especially pacers like Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Ishant Sharma, who land their front foot on the popping crease all right, but tend to drag it– often as many as 2-3 inches – across the line. As the chalk-mark gets blurred after the very first ball is delivered, umpires find it hard to watch a bowler's front foot till the very last and refocus on how and where he lands the ball on the pitch. This results in lot of errors. The ICC saw merit in my suggestion and has given the umpires the freedom to cross-check with the TV umpire if they had any doubt about where the bowler's front foot had landed.
With cricket taking newer shapes, what are the challenges before umpires?
The challenges come from innovation. With batsmen and bowlers being forced to innovate, umpires too have to make adjustments to be on the ball. For example, when a batsman reverse sweeps or indulges in a switch hit, umpires must be able to quickly refocus to determine whether the ball had hit the pad in line keeping in mind the changed 'stance' of the batsman.
Does excessive appealing bother you?
Look, I believe bowlers have a right to appeal and I respect that. Of course, there are times when some bowlers overdo it. It often pays to have a quiet word with them. If they still persist, the Match Referee usually gets into the picture.
What goes into the making of a good umpire?
A good umpire is someone who makes fewer mistakes. Even if he has made a bad decision in a game, a good umpire will quickly shut it out and carry on so that he doesn't make another one and lose control of the proceedings.
Read more: Challenges come from innovations: Aleem Dar - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/cricket-world-cup-2011/interviews/Challenges-come-from-innovations-Aleem-Dar/articleshow/7558449.cms#ixzz1Et4YrkKU
