Kainat Imtiaz announces retirement from international cricket

LAHORE: Pakistan women’s fast bowler Kainat Imtiaz has announced her retirement from international cricket after a 13-year career during which she represented the national team in 19 ODIs and 21 T20Is.

The right-arm pacer recently began a new chapter in her career as a match referee, officiating at the PCB National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament held in August and September.

Kainat made her T20I debut for Pakistan in October 2010 against South Africa in Potchefstroom, becoming the country’s 22nd T20I cap. She later made her ODI debut against Ireland in Fatullah, Bangladesh, earning Pakistan’s 64th ODI cap.

She represented Pakistan at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017, featuring in four matches during the tournament.

Kainat was also part of Pakistan’s gold-medal-winning women’s cricket squads at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, held in China and South Korea respectively. She also represented Pakistan at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Her final ODI appearance came against Australia at the Gabba in January 2023, while her last T20I was against Thailand in Sylhet in October 2022.

Kainat began her cricketing journey in February 2007 when she represented the Karachi Schools U17 team at the PCB National Schools U17 Women’s Championship. She made her domestic List A debut in March 2008 before making her T20 debut later that year.

Cricket also runs in Kainat’s family. Her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, became Pakistan’s first woman umpire to be appointed to the ICC International Development Panel in 2024. She has since officiated in nine women’s ODIs and 69 women’s T20Is.