Pakistan's Saleema Imtiaz makes history as first woman umpire on ICC International Development Panel

Saleema Imtiaz has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Pakistani woman to be selected for the ICC international panel of development umpires. This nomination means that Imtiaz will now have the opportunity to officiate in women's bilateral international matches and ICC women's events. Her debut on-field appearance as an umpire in a bilateral series will take place during the upcoming T20I series between Pakistan and South Africa, starting on Monday in Multan. This marks a significant moment in Imtiaz's career and is a testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport. Pakistan cricket fans are eagerly looking forward to witnessing her officiate at the international level.

"The journey has been filled with hard work and personal sacrifices, but now, standing at the cusp of this new chapter, it all feels worth it," Imtiaz said in a statement released by the PCB. "This isn't just a win for me, it's a win for every aspiring female cricketer and umpire in Pakistan. I hope my success motivates countless women who dream of making their mark in the sport. This moment reflects the growing influence of women in cricket and the PCB's commitment to fostering that development."

Imtiaz is the mother of Kainat Imtiaz, who has played 40 international games for Pakistan so far. The senior Imtiaz has officiated in 22 T20Is so far, 16 on field and in six as the TV umpire. Her most recent game as the on-field umpire was the Women's Asia Cup final in Dambulla, between Sri Lanka and India, after officiating in three others games in the tournament.

"Ever since Kainat made her debut for Pakistan in 2010, my own dream has been to represent my country at an international level," she said. "While I've had opportunities with the Asian Cricket Council, officiating at the highest level has always been the ultimate goal. I'm now focused on performing to the best of my abilities in both bilateral and ICC matches, and building my reputation as a reliable and respected match official."

Imtiaz began her umpiring career with the PCB women's panel in 2008 and she had officiated in the 2022 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women's Cup in Hong Kong as well.

Ahmed Shahab, Khalid Mehmood Sr., Rana Muhammad Arshad and Qaiser Waheed have been promoted to the PCB Elite Panel of Umpires from the PCB Supplementary Panel of Umpires. Qaiser will replace Shozab Raza, who will retire on 31 October.

The four umpires to be promoted from the development panel to the supplementary panel are: Anser Mahmood (with effect from 1 November), Jamshid Iqbal, Naseer Ahmed and Zeeshan Arif.