Lahore : Trailblazing umpire Saleema Imtiaz has broken new ground as she becomes the first female from Pakistan to officiate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. In September 2024, she had become Pakistan’s first woman umpire on ICC International Development Panel.
She replaced Lauren Agenberg on the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup panel and was fourth umpire for the India v South Africa fixture on 21 June at Old Trafford before making her on-field T20 World Cup debut during the New Zealand v Scotland match at Bristol. On the same day she also officiated the Sri Lanka v Ireland match as TV umpire.
Saleema also stood on-field during the India v Bangladesh match at Old Trafford and will finish her stint as TV umpire between England and New Zealand at the Oval and as fourth umpire for the Australia v India match at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The 54-year-old, also mother of former Pakistan women’s international Kainat Imtiaz, has so far officiated in nine WODIs and 58 WT20Is after starting her umpiring career with the PCB women’s panel in 2008.
She expressed her delight at making T20 World Cup debut as umpire, “It is a great pleasure to be representing Pakistan at the biggest stage and an honour to become the first woman from my country to officiate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
“I’m immensely thankful to everyone including my family and the PCB for the invaluable support throughout this journey. Hopefully, I can inspire more women in girls back home to take up cricket professionally as a player as well as a match official.”
