Kainat Imtiaz's Surprising Career Move After 13 Years

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-05

### From Fast Bowler to Match Referee: A New Chapter Pakistan pace bowler Kainat Imtiaz has officially retired from international cricket, and she's not stepping away from the game entirely. Instead, she's trading her bowling shoes for a match referee's badge. Recently, she officiated matches in the PCB National Women's Under-19 T20 tournament held in Karachi in August and September. That first taste of officiating convinced her it was the right path forward. ### A 13-Year Playing Career Comes to a Close Imtiaz, a right-arm fast bowler, ends a playing career that spanned 13 years. Since her last international appearance, she's kept busy as a broadcaster, presenting and commentating on cricket tournaments in Pakistan and abroad. But now, she's ready to establish herself as a match official, following in the footsteps of her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, who also works in cricket officiating. ### Kainat Imtiaz's Career Record for Pakistan Imtiaz played 40 international matches for Pakistan: 19 ODIs and 21 T20Is. She made her debut in October 2010 in a T20I against South Africa in Potchefstroom, and her first ODI came a year later against Ireland in Fatullah. - In ODIs, she took 10 wickets at an average of 51.40. - In T20Is, she took 8 wickets and conceded 5.82 runs per over. Imtiaz was part of the Pakistan teams that won gold medals at the Asian Games in 2010 in China and in 2014 in South Korea. She also played in the 2017 World Cup and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Her last ODI was against Australia at the Gabba in January 2023, while her final T20I was against Thailand in Sylhet during the 2022 Asia Cup. ### Following in Her Mother's Footsteps Her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, was the first Pakistani woman umpire to join the ICC's international development panel. She has officiated in 9 women's ODIs and 69 women's T20Is. Now, Kainat aims to build a similar career on the officiating side of the game. > "Cricket has given me so much, and now I want to give back by ensuring fair play and supporting the next generation of players," Imtiaz said in a recent interview. ### A Growing Trend Among Former Pakistan Women Cricketers Imtiaz is the second former Pakistan women's cricketer to move into match refereeing in recent months. Aiman Anwar ended her international career in August with the same goal. These two retirements show a growing number of former Pakistan women's players moving into officiating roles after their playing days end. Imtiaz now begins that work with domestic assignments, which started with the Under-19 T20 tournament in Karachi. As she embarks on this new journey, Imtiaz's experience as a player will undoubtedly inform her decisions as a referee. Her deep understanding of the game, combined with her passion for cricket, makes her a valuable addition to the officiating ranks. Fans and players alike will be watching closely as she transitions from the pitch to the official's box, ready to contribute to the sport in a whole new way.