Pakistan PM meets Sana Mir after ICC Hall of Fame induction, hopes she will nurture new talent

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif awards a souvenir to former Pakistan Women Cricket Team captain Sana Mir (left) in Islamabad on June 27, 2025. (PID)
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Updated 28 June 2025
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Pakistan PM meets Sana Mir after ICC Hall of Fame induction, hopes she will nurture new talent

  • A trailblazer for women’s cricket in Pakistan, Mir represented the national team from 2005 to 2019
  • She holds the record for the most wickets by a Pakistani woman in one-day internationals with 151

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with former Pakistan Women Cricket Team captain Sana Mir and congratulated her on her induction into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame, Sharif’s office said.

Mir this month became the first woman cricketer from Pakistan to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. She was honored alongside India’s MS Dhoni, England’s Sarah Taylor, South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, Australia’s Matthew Hayden, and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori.

PM Sharif appreciated Mir saying that the Pakistan women cricket team achieved significant successes and made Pakistan famous all over the world under her leadership.

“The government is trying to promote talent on the basis of merit in every field of sports. Giving equal opportunities and facilities to men and women in every field of sports, including cricket, is among our priorities,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.

“Hopefully, you will play an active role in providing training to new talent in cricket with your experience.”

Mir thanked the prime minister and said she was trying her level best to represent Pakistan fully in the World Cricket Association and the ICC.

She gave suggestions for further promotion of cricket, especially women’s cricket, in Pakistan.

A trailblazer for women’s cricket in Pakistan, Mir represented the national team from 2005 to 2019. She is the eighth Pakistani overall and just the 15th woman globally to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

She holds the record for the most wickets by a Pakistani woman in one-day internationals with 151 and was the first Asian woman to feature in 100 T20 internationals. In 2018, she became the first Pakistani woman to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings.


Pakistan’s first female central bank governor dies at 71

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Pakistan’s first female central bank governor dies at 71

  • Shamshad Akhtar led the State Bank of Pakistan from 2006 to 2009 and later served twice as caretaker finance minister
  • Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb describes Akhtar as an accomplished economist and an outstanding human being

KARACHI: Shamshad Akhtar, Pakistan’s first woman to serve as governor of the central bank and one of the country’s most internationally experienced economic policymakers, died at the age of 71, officials said on Saturday.

Akhtar led the State Bank of Pakistan from 2006 to 2009, becoming the first and only woman to lead the institution since its establishment in 1948. She later served twice as caretaker finance minister, overseeing fiscal management during transitional governments ahead of the 2018 and 2024 general elections.

According to local media reports, Akhtar died of cardiac arrest.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over her passing in a statement.

“The president paid tribute to her services in the field of economics and financial management, noting her contribution to strengthening economic governance in the country,” the presidency said, adding that he extended condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb described Akhtar as a highly accomplished economist and an outstanding human being.

“Dr. Shamshad Akhtar was a dignified, principled and wise voice in Pakistan’s economic history,” he said.

He said she served Pakistan with integrity and dedication across several senior economic roles, adding that her national service would always be remembered with respect.

At the time of her death, Akhtar was serving as chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange, a role that placed her at the intersection of Pakistan’s monetary policy, fiscal management and capital markets.

Beyond Pakistan, she held senior positions at major international institutions, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Born in Hyderabad, she was educated in Karachi and Islamabad and held advanced degrees in economics from institutions in Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

Akhtar was widely regarded as a technocrat known for institutional discipline, policy continuity and a strong commitment to economic reform.

With input from Reuters