Bismillah Jan Shinwari, a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, tragically passed away at the age of 41 on Monday evening. The Afghanistan-based umpire officiated in 34 ODIs, 26 T20Is, 31 First-Class matches, 51 List A games, and 96 domestic T20 encounters, as reported by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

Shinwari started his journey as an international umpire in December 2017, when he officiated his first ODI between Afghanistan and Ireland in Sharjah, as per the International Cricket Council. His funeral was held on Tuesday in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. He is survived by five sons and seven daughters, as reported by Afghanistan’s Tolo News.

Seyda Jan, the brother of Bismillah Jan Shinwari, shared with the news outlet: “He fell ill and traveled to Peshawar, stating that he needed to have abdominal fat removed. He was admitted to the hospital for a few days. The surgery was carried out, but sadly, he passed away at 5 PM after the operation. We brought his body back through Torkham overnight and laid him to rest in our family cemetery in Achin.”

The Afghanistan Cricket Board also paid its respects to the umpire. “The Afghanistan Cricket Board extends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and the entire Afghan cricket fraternity. We pray that the Almighty Allah (SWT) grants him the highest ranks in Jannah and gives patience and strength to his loved ones during this difficult time,” post shared on its X handle.

Jay Shah, the ICC chairman, expressed his sorrow over Bismillah’s passing. “His immense contributions to the sport will never be forgotten, and he will be greatly missed by the cricket community. We are deeply saddened by this loss and offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones,” he stated in a press release issued by the ICC.