Pakistan’s talented young cricketer, Ayesha Naseem, has made a surprising decision to retire from international cricket at the young age of 18. Despite having an impressive cricketing career that saw her represent Pakistan in four One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 30 T20 Internationals (T20Is), her standout performance came during the T20 World Cup 2022, where she showcased her skills with a quickfire 24 runs off 20 balls against the formidable Australian team.
Once hailed as a ‘serious talent’ by cricket legend Wasim Akram, the decision of Ayesha Naseem to bid farewell to the sport she excelled in has raised eyebrows, according to various reports. She had shown immense promise in the cricketing world since her international debut in 2020.
Reportedly, Ayesha has stated her desire to follow the principles of Islam as the reason for her decision to step away from cricket. Although LiveMint could not independently verify these reports, it is said that she conveyed her retirement decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, no official confirmation has been received from the PCB yet.
With an impressive record of over 400 runs from 34 international appearances, Ayesha’s retirement has come as a surprise to many who viewed her as a future star of Pakistani cricket, especially in white-ball formats. Her decision to retire at such a young age may draw comparisons to Indian actress Zaira Wasim, who also chose to step away from her successful Bollywood career at 18, citing her desire to uphold her religious beliefs. Zaira rose to fame with the movie Dangal, one of the highest-grossing films in Indian cinema history.
Other Retirements due to Religious Reasons
There have been other notable professionals who retired from their respective fields due to religious beliefs. One such example is Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), the iconic British singer-songwriter, who converted to Islam in the late 1970s and subsequently retired from the music industry, later returning with a focus on Islamic-themed songs. Similarly, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated Russian mixed martial artist, retired from UFC in 2020 to fulfill a promise made to his mother, following the death of his father, and to prioritize his Muslim faith. American comedian Dave Chappelle also took a break from his successful TV show, Chappelle’s Show, and comedy career to explore his Muslim faith and embark on a spiritual journey.
