Kainat Imtiaz retires from international cricket to become a match referee

Pakistan fast bowler Kainat Imtiaz has retired from international cricket to become a match referee, ESPNcricinfo reported on Sunday 4 October 2026. The right-arm quick played 40 internationals for Pakistan (19 ODIs and 21 T20Is) across 13 years, and has already started her new job: she refereed matches in the PCB National Women's Under-19 T20 tournament in Karachi in August and September.

She is the second former Pakistan women's player to swap playing for refereeing in two months, after Aiman Anwer retired in August for the same reason.

Kainat Imtiaz career in numbers

Two Asian Games golds

Kainat was part of the Pakistan sides that won gold at the 2010 Asian Games in China and the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea, Pakistan women's cricket's two biggest titles. She also played the 2017 Women's World Cup and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The timing echoes this year's Games: last month the current side, captained by Fatima Sana, won bronze in Japan, part of Pakistan's best Asian Games haul since 2002 (all 10 medals).

Following her mother into officiating

Since her last game for Pakistan, Kainat has worked as a presenter and commentator in Pakistan and abroad. Refereeing keeps it in the family: her mother, Saleema Imtiaz, was the first Pakistani woman umpire named to the ICC's international development panel and has stood in nine women's ODIs and 69 women's T20Is.

A match referee does not umpire. She runs the game off the field: checks the over rate, hears reports on conduct, rules on code-of-conduct charges and penalties, and signs off the playing conditions with both captains. With the ICC's new five-run penalty for time wasting starting this month (the new rules explained), the job is getting busier.

What it means for Pakistan women's cricket

Kainat had not played for Pakistan since January 2023, so the national squad does not change. The current squad, fixtures and results are on our Pakistan women's cricket team page. For the men's side, the next series is at home: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka tickets and the tri-series schedule and squads.