Eyman Fatima gears up for ACC Women's emerging teams Asia Cup

Karachi: Eyman Fatima, an 18-year-old hailing from Sargodha, is another rising star in Pakistan’s cricket scene. Driven by her passion for the sport, Eyman and her family made the bold decision of relocating to Lahore to pursue her dreams.

As a right-handed opening batter, Eyman's talent and dedication have earned her recognition, including a chance to represent Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup. Focused on performing in upcoming tournaments, Eyman aspires to make a lasting impression on the international stage.

Growing up in Sargodha, Eyman's love for cricket was evident from an early age. Inspired by her father, who shared her passion for the sport, she would often join local boys in participating in tape-ball cricket sessions.

Prior to her departure to Hong Kong to feature in the ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023, Eyman, a member of the 14-player squad, talked exclusively to PCB Digital.

She said, “I used to live in Sargodha and there was a lack of cricketing facilities in my city compared to the major urban centres. My father wanted me to play this game, so for the love of the game my family shifted to Lahore.

“Here in Lahore, I got registered in Abdul Qadir Cricket Academy and even today my mother accompanies me to the academy.”

The opening batter featured in the first-ever Women U19 T20 Tournament 2022-23, which was held in Muridke and Sheikhupura from 13 to 22 August. Playing for Central Punjab Women U19, Eyman scored 171 runs from five matches at a strike-rate of 119.58, which included one half-century. She finished on second spot in the batting list and her highest score of 70 not out came in the final against Sindh Women U19, helping her side to the championship title.

Later, that year, Eyman featured in the phase one of the T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament, held from 26 November to 2 December at the LCCA Ground in Lahore. The first phase of the tournament was planned with the objective of expanding the selection options for the national squad, enabling the selectors to choose from a larger talent pool for the inaugural ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup 2023. Playing for Conquerors, Eyman scored 89 from four outings, where she struck 15 boundaries.

In the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup, Eyman played five matches and amassed 157 runs at 52.33. Her runs were scored at the strike-rate of 126.61 as she managed to grab two player of the match awards in the competition for her half-centuries against Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively.

Talking about her journey in the ICC event, Eyman said, “It was a great experience playing in the first edition of the mega event. I am pleased with my performance which helped the side win matches in the tournament. In the future, my goal is to bat more responsibly and actively contribute to the team’s success.”

As an opening batter, Eyman showcased her skills alongside England veteran Danni Wyatt in the Women’s League exhibition matches staged in Rawalpindi in March this year. The experience of playing alongside international stars not only elevated her game but also provided valuable learning opportunities.

Reflecting on the insights gained from the exhibition matches, Eyman said, “The participation in exhibition matches allowed us to interact and share experiences with foreign players. These exchanges proved to be a wonderful opportunity for us as we learnt about training routines, strategies, and game management from prominent stars.”

Having developed a reputation of being a prolific six-hitter in the domestic circuit, Eyman intends to maintain her role as a dynamic opener, giving her team swift starts in the Powerplay. When asked about her power-hitting abilities, Eyman mentioned how she particularly practised this aspect of the game in training sessions in order to replicate it in a match situation.

With her eyes firmly set on the future, Eyman is excited for the upcoming ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023. Eager to end up on the winning side, Eyman is determined to give her all and help secure victories.