S Imtiaz Becomes First Woman Nominated to ICC Umpire Panel

Saleema Imtiaz has made history by becoming the first Pakistani woman to be nominated to the ICC international panel of development umpires. This nomination qualifies her to officiate in women’s bilateral international matches and ICC women’s tournaments. Her debut as an on-field umpire in a bilateral series will take place during the T20I series between Pakistan and South Africa, which begins on Monday in Multan.

Reflecting on her journey, Imtiaz acknowledged the challenges and sacrifices she faced but expressed that reaching this milestone made it all worthwhile. In a statement released by the PCB, she stated that this achievement is not just her personal triumph but also a victory for aspiring female cricketers and umpires across Pakistan. She hopes her success will inspire other women to pursue their dreams in the sport, adding that it demonstrates the increasing role of women in cricket and the PCB’s dedication to supporting their development.

Imtiaz is also the mother of Kainat Imtiaz, who has represented Pakistan in 40 international matches. As an umpire, Saleema Imtiaz has officiated in 22 T20Is, including 16 on-field and six as the TV umpire. Most recently, she was an on-field umpire for the Women's Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and India in Dambulla, after having officiated in three other games in the tournament.

Since her daughter Kainat’s debut for Pakistan in 2010, Imtiaz has harboured her own dream of representing the country at an international level. She shared that while she has had opportunities with the Asian Cricket Council, reaching the highest level of officiating has always been her ultimate goal. Imtiaz is now focused on excelling in both bilateral series and ICC events, aiming to build her reputation as a trusted and respected match official.

Imtiaz began her umpiring career in 2008 with the PCB women’s panel and has since officiated at major tournaments, including the 2022 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women’s Cup in Hong Kong.

In other developments, the PCB has promoted Ahmed Shahab, Khalid Mehmood Sr., Rana Muhammad Arshad, and Qaiser Waheed to the PCB Elite Panel of Umpires. Qaiser Waheed will replace Shozab Raza, who is set to retire on October 31. Additionally, four umpires—Anser Mahmood, Jamshid Iqbal, Naseer Ahmed, and Zeeshan Arif—will be promoted from the development panel to the supplementary panel, with Mahmood’s promotion taking effect on November 1.