Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the nomination of Saleema Imtiaz to the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires.

This appointment makes her the first Pakistani woman to join the panel, where she will officiate in women's bilateral international matches and ICC Women's events.

The PCB shared this historic achievement on Sunday, underscoring the growing presence of women in the sport. Speaking about her new role, the 52-year-old umpire expressed her gratitude towards the PCB, acknowledging the organisation's contribution to her career.

"I owe immense gratitude to the PCB for the invaluable opportunities that paved the way for this achievement," Saleema said in an interview. "This moment reflects the growing influence of women in cricket and the PCB’s commitment to fostering that development."

Saleema, who started her umpiring career in 2008 with the PCB Women’s Umpire Panel, has steadily risen through the ranks, having officiated at major events such as the 2022 and 2024 Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Women’s T20 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women’s Cup in Hong Kong. She was also part of the playing control team at the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2024 in Kuala Lumpur.

Her journey into umpiring is particularly notable as she is the mother of Kainat Imtiaz, an international cricketer who made her debut for Pakistan in 2010. Saleema remarked that her daughter’s debut was an inspiring moment that fueled her own ambitions of representing Pakistan internationally.

"Ever since Kainat made her debut for Pakistan, my own dream has been to represent my country at the 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."

Saleema will make her first appearance as an ICC-recognised umpire in the Pakistan-South Africa women’s T20I series set to begin on September 16 in Multan. She will be joined by Nasir Hussain from the PCB Elite Panel of Umpires, with Humairah Farah serving as the third umpire and Muhammad Javed Malik as the match referee.

Reflecting on the hard work and perseverance that led to this point, Saleema encouraged other women to follow their passion for cricket, noting that opportunities are increasing in the sport for women.

"This is an achievement for all the women out there willing to pursue their cricket career," she said.

Saleema’s appointment marks a significant step forward for Pakistani women in cricket, as the sport continues to evolve and offer more roles for women on and off the field.

Match officials for 2024-25

PCB International Panel of Umpires: Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Khan Aafreedi, Rashid Riaz Waqar
ICC International Panel of Development Umpires: Saleema Imtiaz
PCB Women’s Panel of Umpires: Afia Amin, Ayesha Farooq, Humairah Farah, Nazia Nazir, Saleema Imtiaz