Former Pakistan cricketer Sharmeen Khan — who is considered the pioneer of women’s cricket in Pakistan — passed away on Thursday due to pneumonia.
Sharmeen played a key role in the establishing women’s cricket in Pakistan through her tireless efforts.
She represented Pakistan in two Test matches and 26 ODI matches and made her Test debut in 1998 at Colombo. She played her first ODI match against New Zealand at Christchurch in January 1997 while her international career spanned over five years.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also acknowledged Sharmeen’s services to the country in an official press release.
“Sharmeen was widely regarded as one of the pioneers of women cricket in the country and her services for the game will be remembered for a long time,” the statement said.
Some of her notable achievements included helping Pakistan gain Women's Cricket Council membership in September 1996.
Her father — who ran a carpet company — was the first sponsor of Pakistan women’s cricket team.
Sharmeen and her family also faced threats about legal action from certain corners of the society for bringing women’s cricket to the fore.