Pakistani cricketing sensation Ayesha Naseem has announced a shock resignation from all forms of international cricket, according to several reports.
According to Pakistani TV channel Goonj TV, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was informed by Ayesha after suffering injury a few months ago that she plans to quit cricket.
The channel reports that PCB tried convincing her to rethink and withdraw her plans but she did not agree.
PAKISTANI CRICKETER AYESHA NASEEM ANNOUNCES SHOCK RETIREMENT AT 18 #AyeshaNaseem #retirement #pcb #pakistaniwomencricketteam
Youtube link https://t.co/EygcLOEzwj pic.twitter.com/dnHXc8dwog
— Goonj (@GoonjTV) July 21, 2023
Abbottabad-born, Right-arm Medium fast bowler and batter Ayesha Naseem has declared that she is quitting the game to align herself with her religious beliefs.
Ayesha Naseem made her debut in Women’s T20 International cricket at the tender age of 16 in a match played between Thai Women and PAK WMN in Sydney on March 03, 2020, and her Women’s One-Day International cricket debut happened on July 12, 2021, when PAK WMN played WI WMN at North Sound.
Ayesha who has represented Pakistan in cricket in 30 T20Is and four ODIs says that she is quitting cricket in order to live her life “according to Islam”.
Ayesha’s declaration has met with varying responses in Pakistan, her home nation. ARY TV journalist Shoaib Jatt tweeted that “Sawed Anwar also left cricket to spend his remaining life according to Islam, don’t know why PCB is trying to manipulate the decision of Ayesha Naseem, we must respect her decision.”
Professor of Gender Studies at the University of Punjab in Pakistan Dr Ambreen Salahuddin has tweeted: “Men can just grow a beard, perform sajdah in the ground and continue with the game! I feel sad.#ayeshanaseem #womancricketer”
Men can just grow a beard, perform sajdah in the ground and continue with the game!
I feel sad.#ayeshanaseem #womancricketer https://t.co/nkcFnEqHEY— Dr Ambreen Salahuddin (@AmbreenS_poet) July 21, 2023
However, the Pakistan Control Board is yet to make any announcement on whether these reports about Ayesha Naseem’s purported resignation are true or not.
