Pakistan umpire happy to officiate in India

Pakistani cricket umpire Asad Rauf said Thursday that he has no security reservations about officiating at Test matches in India later this month.

Rauf, an umpire on International Cricket Council's elite panel - will be standing with Australian Daryl Harper in the two Test matches between India and England at Chennai (December 11 to 15) and Mohali (December 19 to 23).

"We are peace ambassadors," Rauf told the AP on Thursday.

"Umpiring is our job,” said Rauf adding that “I have no problems in doing it whether it's in India or anywhere in the world."

The England team plans to resume its tour of India and show solidarity with the people of the country in the wake of the recent happenings in Mumbai last month, but a final decision will not be made until security reports are assessed Sunday.

"If the England team is going I don't think there should be any problems," Rauf said.

"As a good human being, we should discourage these terrorist elements."

Vince van der Bijl, the ICC's umpires' and referees' manager has reportedly sent a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking that match officials receive the same level of security protection as the players.

Rauf, 52, has officiated in 21 Test matches.