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Pakistan women’s national cricket team pacer Kainat Imtiaz has announced her retirement from international cricket. After representing Pakistan for 13 years at the highest level, Kainat Imtiaz is now ready to start a new journey as a match referee.
Imtiaz has already begun her career as a match referee, following the path of her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, who has made history in Pakistani cricket as an international match official. Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad praised Hasan Nawaz and slammed Saim Ayub's controversial celebration.
Pakistan's Kainat Imtiaz retires from international cricket
Kainat Imtiaz, on Sunday, October 4, announced her retirement from international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the all-rounder’s call via an official media release.
The PCB media release reads, "Fast bowler Kainat Imtiaz has announced her retirement from international cricket after representing the Pakistan women’s cricket team in 19 One-Day Internationals and 21 T20 Internationals across 13 years. She recently began her career as a match referee in the PCB National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament held in August and September.”
Interestingly, she already started officiating matches even before calling time on her Pakistan career. Kainat’s mother was the first Pakistani woman umpire on the ICC's International Development Panel in 2024 and has so far officiated nine WODIs and 69 WT20Is.
Well, the all-rounder recently officiated matches in the PCB National Women’s Under-19 T20 tournament held in Karachi during August and September.
Kainat Imtiaz’s Pakistan career
Imtiaz made her Pakistan debut in October 2010 in a T20I against South Africa in Potchefstroom. One year later, she played her first ODI against Ireland in Fatullah. Amid this, Hasan Nawaz's "I hate every Indian bowler" remarks resurface after Pakistan's Asian Games final loss.
During her international career, she represented Pakistan in 19 ODIs and 21 T20Is, and she scalped 18 wickets in both formats. She was also part of Pakistan’s gold-medal-winning teams at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, held in China and South Korea, respectively.
Imtiaz also represented Pakistan at the 2017 Women’s World Cup and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Her last ODI for Pakistan came against Australia at the Gabba in January 2023. She played her last T20I match against Thailand in Sylhet during the 2022 Asia Cup.
However, she began her journey in February 2007 with the Karachi Schools U17 team in the PCB National Schools U17 Women’s Championship. She then made her domestic List A debut in March 2008, followed by her T20 debut in July the same year.
Kainat Imtiaz follows mother’s path
When she was not getting regular international matches, the fast bowler remained connected with the game through broadcasting. She worked as a presenter and commentator in cricket tournaments in Pakistan as well as international events.
Imtiaz’s move into match officiating has a special connection to her mother Saleema Imtiaz, who has already officiated in nine women’s ODIs and 69 women’s T20Is. Kainat is now looking to build her own identity in the same field, having already worked in the National Women’s Under-19 T20 tournament.
She is also the second former Pakistan women’s cricketer to move into match refereeing recently. Earlier, Aiman Anwar retired from international cricket in August and began her new journey as a match referee.
