Javeria Khan has been the backbone of the Pakistani side for a long time. She first donned the precious green shirt at the tender age of 19, and has since proved to be a pillar of the batting unit, and also a very handy bowler. She was the third women cricketer who represented Pakistan in the international circuit for 100 times.
However, Khan’s story isn’t the quintessential rags to riches one, with cricket always being the predominant focus. Instead, Khan was a brilliant student of economics, who was gradually entering the world of numbers and shares.
Though Khan had a knack for cricket, she always gave her studies the first preference. Instead, it was her brothers who were more into the game. It was by sheer coincidence that while she was bunking her class, a trail was going on. Though she wasn’t much into cricket, cricket was completely into her. Her talent was soon spotted, and she never had to look back once she stepped into the circuit.
Early Life & Major Teams
Khan was born in Karachi, on May 14, 1988. Her first major break was for the South Zone Women side. She has also played for Knights Women, Pakistan Cricket Board Women Greens, ZTBL Women, Karachi Women and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited Women. She has recently also played PCB Dynamites, PCB Falcons and PCB Blasters.
Domestic Career
According to PCB’s official site, Khan made her List A debut in 2007, in the National Women’s Cricket Championship 2006/07. She represented her local side Karachi Women, against Hyderabad Women at the Regional Cricket Academy, Karachi. Though her team won the game, she could manage to get only 4 runs.
Her T20 debut came a year later, at the PCB Twenty20 Women’s Quadrangular Tournament 2008/09. Playing for South Zone Women against the Central Zone Blues Women, Khan remained not out on 4 runs. Her most recent T20 outing was at the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship 2019/20, in which she played an instrumental role for PCB Blasters.
Her 63-ball 67 against PCB Challengers was highly appreciated. She also scored an impressive 41-ball 43 in the final against the same opposition. Unfortunately for her, no one else could manage to put up a fight as PCB Challengers lifted the silverware.
International Career
Khan’s first match for Pakistan was in an ODI against the Sri Lankan women, at Kurunegala in 2008. She bowled her full quota of 10 overs and conceded 36 runs. With the bat, Khan scored only 3 runs. Her T20I debut came a year later, against Ireland Women in Dublin. She never got a chance to bat in this game, and bowled only a single over.
She was a part of the 2010 Asian Games held in China, in which Pakistan secured gold medal. She was also a member of the Pakistani team during the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20, held in the Caribbean. Alongside Bismah Maroof, she is one of Pakistan’s most experienced campaigner currently.
Stats & Career
In her vast ODI career, she has amassed 2693 runs at an impressive average of over 30. She has also maintained a healthy strike rate of over 60. She has taken 17 wickets in ODIs. In T20Is, she has scored 1744 runs at an average of over 20 and a strike rate of almost run-a-ball. She has picked up 11 wickets in the shortest format of the game. Khan has scored 2 centuries in ODIs, and 15 fifties to his name. She has scored 8 half-tons in T20Is.
