Origin (1996–1997)

The introduction of women’s cricket in Pakistan was pioneered in 1996 by two visionary sisters, Shaiza and Sharmeen Khan. In a deeply conservative society, their efforts to establish a national women’s team faced severe cultural pushback, legal opposition, and even personal threats. 

Despite the government initially denying them permission to play publicly on religious and social grounds, the sisters’ relentless advocacy overcame these systemic hurdles, leading to the formation of the inaugural national squad.

First Match Played (1997)

Pakistan played its first-ever Women’s One Day International (WODI) on January 28, 1997, against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Captained by Shaiza Khan, the inexperienced Pakistani team suffered a 10-wicket defeat. 

Later that year, they made their debut at the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup in India. The following year, in April 1998, they played their first-ever Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Performance in ICC Tournaments

After their 1997 debut, Pakistan struggled to compete initially and did not qualify again until 2009. The 2009 World Cup in Australia marked their historic peak, as they defeated Sri Lanka and the West Indies to finish 5th globally. 

Pakistan have competed in every edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup since its inception in 2009. While they have frequently pulled off spirited group-stage upsets (such as defeating rivals India in 2012 and 2016), they have consistently struggled to advance beyond the group stage and reach the semi-finals.

Their greatest tournament triumphs have come at the Asian Games, where Pakistan won back-to-back Gold Medals in 2010 (Guangzhou) and 2014 (Incheon), twice defeating Bangladesh in the finals. They also finished as runners-up in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup in 2012 and 2016.

Present

Today, the Pakistan women’s cricket team is fully centralised under the structural support and professional contract pathways of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The legendary era championed by longtime captain and global trailblazer Sana Mir (who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025) successfully shifted public perception of women’s sports across the country.