Pak’s Aleem Dar wins ICC Umpire of the Year award for third time in row

London, Sept 13: Aleem Dar of Pakistan has won the David Shepherd Trophy for the third time after being named the ICC Umpire of the Year 2011.
Dar, 43, was voted to this award by the 10 Full Member captains as well as the eight-man Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, based on his decision statistics and officiating skills over the past 12 months.
It is the third year in a row that he has received the ICC award, which was renamed last year after the late England umpire David Shepherd.
Accepting his award from ICC Hall of Fame 2011 inductee Alan Davidson, Dar said: "It's a great honour and I'm thankful to everyone at the ICC and also my colleagues on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires along with the Pakistan Cricket Board. I'd like to also thank all my family for all their support since I'm away nearly eight months of the year umpiring."
Dar beat off strong competition from his colleagues on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires Steve Davis, Ian Gould and five-time ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel.