Who is Ayesha Naseem? Pakistani cricketer who retired at 18 citing religion

Naseem a hard-hitting batter and part-time fast bowler played four ODIs and 30 T20Is, scoring a total of 399 runs with 45* being her highest individual score

Ayesha Naseem, who last played for Pakistan Women’s team in an international match in the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup, suddenly announced her retirement at 18. She shocked the cricketing world as she cited religion as her reason for retiring from the game.

A Pakistan-based news outlet claimed that Ayesha had informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of her decision to quit before her announcement. “Her decision came from a desire to lead her life in accordance with the teachings of Islam,” wrote Cricket Pakistan.  

Citing a source in Pakistan, news agency PTI reported, "She was contacted for a training camp and assignment, but she told the board she no longer wanted to play cricket.”

Efforts were also made by Pakistan’s captain Nida Dar to persuade Naseem, but it all fell on deaf ears. “Efforts were made even by Nida and some Pakistan players to convince her that she can be a practising Muslim and also play cricket at the same time but Ayesha refused to rethink her decision,” the source added.

Ayesha Naseem's International Career

Naseem made her international debut during the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia against Thailand in Sydney at the age of 16 years. The Abbottabad-born girl impressed Pakistan legend Wasim Akram with her batting against hosts Australia during the first match of the team’s tour Down Under in 2023. She smashed 24 off just 20 balls, hitting one four and three sixes in the innings.

Naseem scored 45 not out against arch-rivals India in the 2023 T20 World Cup. However, after that game, she played only one more game before being ruled out of the playing 11 for the remaining two games of the World Cup. She was replaced by Omaima Sohail in the Pakistan Women’s lineup.

Ayesh Naseem's career in numbers

Format	Matches	Runs	Strike Rate	High Score
ODIs	04	33	89.18	16
T20Is	30	369	128.12	45

Naseem, a fast bowler and hard-hitting batter played four ODIs and 30 T20Is, scoring a total of 399 runs with 45* being her highest individual score.