ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s fast bowler Kainat Imtiaz has retired from international cricket after a 13-year career in which she represented the national team in 19 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 21 T20 Internationals (T20Is).

The right-arm pacer has embarked on a new chapter in cricket, beginning her career as a match referee during the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament held in August and September.

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

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

Kainat was also part of Pakistan’s women’s squads that won gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games in China and South Korea, respectively. She further represented the country 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’s cricketing journey began in February 2007 when she represented the Karachi Schools U17 team in the PCB National Schools U17 Women’s Championship. She made her domestic List A debut in March 2008, followed by her T20 debut in July that year.

Her family has also made a notable contribution to women’s cricket officiating. Her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, became Pakistan’s first woman umpire on the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) International Development Panel in 2024.

Saleema has since officiated in nine Women’s ODIs and 69 Women’s T20 Internationals, further strengthening the family’s association with Pakistan cricket.