Sharmeen Khan, the founder of women's cricket in Pakistan, passes away

Former Pakistan cricketer Sharmeen Khan passed away at the age of 46 in Lahore, confirmed her family on Thursday. She, along with her sister Shazia formed the first ever national women's cricket team.



Sharmeen breathed her last after battling with pneumonia, Shaiza Khan informed, adding that her sister had arrived in Pakistan from England only two days ago.



Sharmeen who was a right handed batter and pacer represented Pakistan in two Tests and 26 one-day internationals.



Sharmeen and Shaiza are known as the founders of the Pakistan Women's cricket team. The sisters, who had studied at Leeds in England, were inspired to form a national team when they went to watch the 1993 World Cup final at Lord's.



They secured International Women's Cricket Council membership for Pakistan in September 1996, which made Pakistan Women eligible for the 1997 World Cup, held in India.



Sharmeen made her ODI debut against New Zealand at Christchurch in January 1997. She played her final ODI against Sri Lanka at Moratuwa in January 2002.



She made her Test debut a year later against Sri Lanka at Colombo in April 1998, and played her last Test against Ireland at Dublin two years later.