Who Is Ayesha Naseem? Pak National Cricketer Retires At 18

18-year-old Pakistan national cricketer Ayesha Naseem recently announced that she will be stepping back from the game. Naseem was born in Abbottabad and started playing cricket with her brother when her family moved to Karachi. 

Naseem made her debut at the age of 15. After playing for her country for three years, she informed me about her decision to retire to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Though PCB hasn’t issued any statement, the cricketer has confirmed her retirement.

Citing religion as her main reason to step back, Naseem stated that her faith doesn't allow women to pursue a sport like this and, therefore, retiring was the right thing to do at this moment. She informed the PCB that she would want to lead her life according to Islam and that leaving cricket was one way to do that. 

Who is Ayesha Naseem?

Born in Abbottabad's Bagan village, the Pakistani cricketer started playing cricket with her brother when her family moved to Karachi. She always hoped to become an inspiration for the young girls of her region, who were not allowed to step out of their houses.

It was a huge challenge for Naseem to play cricket in a region where girls were not even allowed education. In an interview with Cricbuzz, she said, "In my hometown, girls aren't even allowed to step out, let alone play cricket".

She received a lot of criticism and obstacles when she officially started playing for the country. She said, "People frowned upon me for playing cricket. They constantly dissuaded me and suggested that I was a bad influence on their daughters." She firmly believes that girls need constant support from their parents and hopes that society allows their daughters to excel in the field of sports.

Her Contribution to Cricket

She started her cricket journey when she was selected for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup team. She made her Women’s Twenty20 International (WT20I) debut for Pakistan against Thailand on March 3, 2020. She has played a total of 34 matches, including four ODIs and thirty T20s. The last of her standout knocks was a 25-ball 43 against  India at the World Cup earlier this year. She created a long-lasting impact with her short career. Referred to as a "hard-hitter", she easily stood out among the rest of her teammates.

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