Live Update: Kainat Imtiaz retires from internationals to become match referee She decided to follow in her mother Saleema Imtiaz’s footsteps to become a match official The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 The smile of a champion – Mohammed Siraj picked up five wickets in a ten-ball period, India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup final, Colombo, September 17, 2023 Alyssa Healy poses with the trophy after Australia retained the Ashes, England vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Women’s Ashes, Taunton, July 18, 2023 A general view of the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Punjab Kings vs Delhi Citals, IPL 2024, Mullanpur, March 23, 2024 KL Rahul celebrates his ninth ODI century, India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh, October 3, 2026 Shai Hope, the West Indies ctain, scored a career-best 162* against India, battling a groin issue to take the game deep and finish off a record chase of 352 Shai Hope celebrates back-to-back centuries, India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh, October 3, 2026 Shai Hope became the first wicketkeeper-ctain to score 150 in men’s ODIs, India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh, October 3, 2026 Shai Hope entered the record books with his score of 162 not out – his 21st ODI century – while KL Rahul has now raised the bar for No.
5 batters in men’s ODIs India ctain said the team as a whole needs more clarity on when to attack and when to defend with ball in hand Naman Dhir picked up his first international wicket, India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh, October 3, 2026 Vitel Lawes likes picking up wickets with his left-arm wristspin, wants to develop more and more variations, and likes keeping his thoughts hidden away Vitel Lawes shows off his West Indies c, West Indies vs New Zealand, 1st ODI, Guyana, July 11, 2026 The two fast bowlers from Bihar who have played together for Bengal and experienced similar career trajectories came together irresistibly once again in the Irani Cup Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar bagged four wickets each, Bengal vs Jammu and Kashmir, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Rajkot, December 31, 2025 Seven wickets fell in a manic hour post-lunch as Rest of India secured a 167-run win against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar Mukesh Kumar bowls in the Duleep Trophy, East Zone vs South Zone, Duleep Trophy final, 4th day, Chennai, September 9, 2026 Karnataka batter fell 50 short of 1000 runs the last Ranji Trophy season. This time, he wants to hit that mark and go beyond R Smaran is unbeaten on 126 off 131 balls for Rest of India, Jammu & Kashmir vs Rest of India, Irani Cup, 3rd day, Srinagar, October 3, 2026 Asian Games – Ind vs Pak – Shreyas Iyer ‘ecstatic’ after ‘collective effort and comprehensive win’ over Pakistan “We didn’t complain [about the rain], we didn’t give any reasons [excuses], so that was the sign of a champion team,” Shreyas Iyer says of the attitude of the India team at the Asian Games Tilak Varma and Shreyas Iyer figure out what gold tastes like, India vs Pakistan, Asian Games men’s competition final, Nisshin, October 3, 2026 The India players celebrate their gold medal by doing a victory l of the stadium, India vs Pakistan, Asian Games men’s competition final, Nisshin, October 3, 2026 Bangladesh collsed with the bat after Tharindu Ratnayake had smashed 65 in 32 balls to take Sri Lanka to a solid 165 for 9 The Sri Lankans celebrate after winning the bronze medal, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games men’s competition 3rd place playoff, Nisshin, October 3, 2026 He pears certain to retain his spot at No. 3 for the opening Test against South Africa in Durban next week Having played his last Test in 2023, he’s eyeing a spot in SA’s side for upcoming three-Test series against Australia at home Anrich Nortje and his hair fade in, South Africa vs West Indies, 1st Test, Centurion, 2nd day, March 1, 2023 Amid the pace and firepower, South Africa may need his craft, control and experience to make the difference against Australia Seven wickets fell in a manic hour post-lunch as Rest of India secured a 167-run win against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar Mukesh Kumar bowls in the Duleep Trophy, East Zone vs South Zone, Duleep Trophy final, 4th day, Chennai, September 9, 2026 He pears certain to retain his spot at No.
3 for the opening Test against South Africa in Durban next week The two fast bowlers from Bihar who have played together for Bengal and experienced similar career trajectories came together irresistibly once again in the Irani Cup Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar bagged four wickets each, Bengal vs Jammu and Kashmir, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Rajkot, December 31, 2025 The India players celebrate their gold medal by doing a victory l of the stadium, India vs Pakistan, Asian Games men’s competition final, Nisshin, October 3, 2026 Shai Hope, the West Indies ctain, scored a career-best 162* against India, battling a groin issue to take the game deep and finish off a record chase of 352 Shai Hope celebrates back-to-back centuries, India vs West Indies, 3rd ODI, New Chandigarh, October 3, 2026 Kainat Imtiaz sends down a delivery, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Women’s World Cup, Leicester, July 15, 2017 Pakistan pace bowler Kainat Imtiaz has announced retirement from international cricket to pursue a career as a match referee. She recently officiated matches in the PCB National Women’s Under-19 T20 tournament which was played in Karachi in August and September. Imtiaz, a right-arm quick, played 19 ODIs and 21 T20Is in a career that spanned 13 years.
She made her international debut in October 2010 in a T20I against South Africa in Potchefstroom and played her first ODI the year after against Ireland in Fatullah. She took 10 wickets at 51.40 in ODIs and had eight T20I scalps at an economy rate of 5.82 Imtiaz was a member of the Pakistan teams that won gold in the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games in China and South Korea respectively and also played in the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2017 World Cup. She last played for Pakistan in an ODI against Australia at the Gabba in January 2023 and her last pearance in the shorter format was against Thailand in Sylhet in the 2022 Asia Cup.
Imtiaz has since worked as a broadcaster, presenting and commentating in cricket tournaments locally and internationally. But she recently decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and establish herself as a match official. Her mother Saleema Imtiaz is the first Pakistani woman umpire to become part of the ICC’s international development panel and has officiated in nine women’s ODIs and 69 women’s T20Is.
Imtiaz is the second former woman cricketer from Pakistan to become a match referee recently after Aiman Anwar called time on her international career in August. Kainat Imtiaz sends down a delivery, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Women’s World Cup, Leicester, July 15, 2017 Kainat Imtiaz played 40 international games for Pakistan • /ICC Aiman Anwer retires from internationals to become match referee Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi is a cricket journalist based in Lahore
