When Saira Jabeen travels with Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa next month, it will represent much more than just a team call-up. Her selection is the result of a long and determined journey that began in the stunning Kalash Valley, nestled in the Hindu Kush mountains.
Known for its colorful culture, vibrant festivals, and distinctive traditions, the region is worlds apart from professional cricket. It was from this remote landscape that Saira’s ambition took shape, eventually carrying her through Peshawar, then Lahore, and later all the way to Sydney, before earning her place in Pakistan’s national setup.
A 24-year-old right-handed batter and medium-pace bowler, Saira’s rise is a story defined by resilience, sacrifice, and an unshakeable belief in her dream. In Saira Jabeen’s own words, as she reflects on her journey:
“You will face many challenges in your life, but you have to be honest with yourself to achieve your dreams.”
-Saira Jabeen
A Childhood of Tape-Ball and Disguise
When Saira first picked up a bat, there was no concept of hard-ball cricket, even for boys, in her valley. Cricket existed only in the form of boys’ tape-ball matches. Determined to play, she became the first female cricketer from Kalash Valley to step into the game. Saira Jabeen cut her hair to fit in and dressed like boys to play with younger people in her village.
“My teammates’ parents did not know that a woman was also playing with them. They were scared that if their parents found out they wouldn’t be able to continue,”-Saira Jabeen
(via SBS Urdu)
Saira Jabeen has three brothers who also used to play cricket in the village, which made it easier for her to go out and play. She started her tape-ball cricket journey before she even turned 10 years old. She used to excel in tape-ball cricket, leaving the boys in disbelief when, at the end of the match, they found out that she was the girl who hit sixes and bowled well. Her village boys, along with her brothers, always supported her. As described by Saira Jabeen: “They were very good and supportive. They used to encourage me to play.”
Behind her quiet rebellion stood two pillars of support: her father, a schoolteacher, and her mother, a cricket lover, who believed in her dream even when society did not.
Education, Sacrifice, and a Bold Move
After completing her 12th grade, Saira enrolled at the University of Peshawar in 2020 and began training at a local academy. She faced many problems during training because she was the only girl in the club, and there was no other cricket academy for girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After two semesters, she left the university, not because she gave up on education, but because she refused to give up on cricket.
“I had already done two semesters of my bachelor’s degree and my father was a bit reluctant at first, but my brother supported me to chase my dream,”
-Saira Jabeen
In 2021, she moved to Lahore, a turning point in her career. There, she joined the Lahore Cricket Academy. Her talent caught the eye of selectors, earned her selection for Punjab University’s cricket team, and secured her admission on a sports quota to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Rising Through the Cricketing System
Initially a right-arm fast bowler, Saira’s cricketing journey gathered momentum quickly after joining Punjab University. In October 2022, trials for the Lahore Qalandars Women’s team were held, and she was selected in the final 15. She later represented Challenger Qalandars in the December 2022 to January 2023 tournament. Around the same time, in November 2022, she made appearances in the PCB Women’s T20 Tournament Phase 1 2022–23.
Her consistent growth was rewarded in August 2023 when she received a PCB domestic contract. Just a month later, she traveled to Australia on a six-month scholarship with Parramatta Women’s Grade Cricket Club, Sydney – an opportunity she credits to PCB’s support and the efforts of former Australian captain Mel Jones
“She has brought a lot of different aspects to cricket that our younger girls are picking up on. She is bringing a different attitude to different situations. But also it is a learning curve for both her and our girls,”
-Scott Reibelt, President of Parramatta Women’s Grade Cricket Club (via SBS Urdu)
Besides Jones, Saira’s move was made possible through guidance and assistance from Pakistan Cricket Board official Mr. Yahya Ghaznavi.
During her stay, Saira trained with Sydney Thunder, a WBBL franchise, gaining exposure to elite professional environments. It was also in 2023 that she consciously began developing her batting alongside her bowling.
A Year of Cricketing Action for Saira Jabeen
By 2024, Saira had become a regular participant in PCB domestic tournaments. She took part in both 50-over events: the regional competition held in April–May and the National One-Day Cup in November–December. Additionally, she represented Punjab University in PCB’s first-ever Women’s University Tournament, helping her team secure the championship.
She was also part of the Punjab University team in the PCB HEC Women’s Intervarsity Tournament in October 2024, where her team finished as runners-up, losing the final to Lahore College for Women University.
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The following month, in November 2024, she represented Malakand Strikers in the inaugural Zalmi Women’s League in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The league is an initiative launched by the Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi to provide young girls from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with opportunities to participate in cricket and develop their skills
Domestic Excellence to National Recognition
The start of 2025 brought another milestone when Saira was called up to the Pakistan women’s camp in Faisalabad for preparations ahead of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers. She followed it up by representing Conquerors in the National Women’s Domestic T20 Tournament in May.
August 2025 proved pivotal. Saira earned a PCB domestic contract in the Gold category, the highest tier in women’s domestic cricket, and was named an icon player for Asian XI in the European Cricket Meltl Shield.
Her standout domestic performance came in the National One-Day Cup 2025–26, held in November–December, where she finished as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer. She accumulated 364 runs at an average of 40.4, with a strike rate of 83.5, including two half-centuries and a top score of 90.
A Dream Realized
After an impressive run in the National One-Day Tournament, Saira was called for a four-week skill camp in Karachi in preparation for the South Africa tour, and now she has been named in Pakistan’s T20I squad for the tour. Although she was not picked in the format (ODI) where she performed well domestically, we can assume that the management does not want to push the youngster against a very strong South African side and wants her to start with one or two games in the shorter format.
She can have a swing early on in the powerplay. She was also among the top openers with the highest strike rate in the National T20 Tournament last year.
From hiding her identity on tape-ball grounds to being one step away from wearing Pakistan’s colors on the international stage, Saira’s journey is a testament to patience, discipline, and resilience. As she puts it herself, this moment is simply “the fruit of patience and discipline.”
And for countless young girls watching from valleys, streets, and grounds across Pakistan, Saira Jabeen is living proof that dreams can reach the highest level, no matter where they begin.
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