Mahboob Shah

Who is Mahboob Shah?

Syed Mahboob Ali Shah is a former Pakistani first-class cricketer and Test cricket umpire.

Mahboob Shah was born in Delhi. Before becoming an umpire, he played in 14 first-class matches for Baluchistan, Central Zone, Karachi Whites, Karachi C, Quetta and Karachi University between 1954/55 and 1960/61. He reached the Final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in 1957/58 with Karachi C, losing to Bahawalpur. He achieved a batting average of 21.10 in 21 innings, including a high score of 152, his only first-class century, for Karachi University against Sind University in February 1960; as a medium-fast bowler, he took 12 wickets at an bowling average of 22.58, including 6/14 for Karachi C against Sind A in October 1957.

He umpired 28 Test matches and 32 ODIs between March 1975 and March 1997, mainly in Pakistan - only four of his Test matches were overseas. He made his Test umpiring debut in March 1975, in the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies at the National Stadium, Karachi. He stood regularly in Test matches in Pakistan from 1978 to 1990. In 1994, he and Khizer Hayat were the two Pakistani representatives on the first international panel of umpires, set up by the ICC to ensure that one neutral umpire would stand in every Test match. He stood in his first Test outside Pakistan in March 1994, in the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead, Durban. His final Test was the second Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Trust Bank Park, Hamilton, in March 1997.