Former ICC elite umpire Asad Rauf now sells clothes and shoes in a shop in Pakistan. During a recent interview, Rauf, who umpired in 170 games from 2000 to 2013, said that he is no more interested in cricket and is running the shop for his staff not for himself. It is worth noting that the umpire was banned in 2016 by the BCCI after he was found guilty of corrupt practices and disrupting the game. "Mr Asad Rauf has been banned for a period of five years from umpiring or playing or representing cricket in any form or anyway being associated with the activities of the Board and its Affiliates," the BCCI had the said in a statement in 2016.
Rauf was accused of accepting gifts from bookies and was allegedly involved in the 2013 IPL spot fixing scandal.
“Maine 2013 ke baad cricket se bilkul hi…kyunki mai jo kaam chhodta hu usko chhod hi deta hu (I haven't been in touch with the game since 2013, because once I leave something I leave it completely),” said Rauf in an interview to Paktv.tv.
Meanwhile, explaining about his idea of running the shop despite being in the elite panel of umpires in the past, Rauf said: “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)."
Out of the 170 games, Rauf umpired in 49 Tests, 98 ODIs and 23 T20Is.
"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... I have no greed. I have seen a lot of money, and I have seen the world," said Rauf.