The correct answer is: D. no article
The article “a” or “an” is used before singular nouns that refer to a general or unspecified person or thing. The article “the” is used before singular nouns that refer to a specific person or thing that has already been mentioned or is known to the reader or listener. In this case, Mr. Sharma is the only umpire mentioned, so we do not need to use an article.
Here are some examples of when we would use an article:
- I saw a man walking down the street.
- I need to buy an apple.
- The cat is on the mat.
In these examples, the nouns “man,” “apple,” and “cat” are all singular and refer to a general or unspecified person, thing, or animal. We do not know who the man is, what kind of apple I need, or which cat is on the mat.
However, in the case of Mr. Sharma, we know exactly who he is. He is the only umpire mentioned, so we do not need to use an article.