The youngest ODI and Test cricketer to date is Pakistan’s all-rounder Sajjida Shah who recently celebrated her 34th birthday on 3rd Feb 2022. Shah made her ODI debut back in 2000 at the age of just 12 years 171 days and further went on to make her test debut a week later against Ireland.
Playing a total of 60 ODIs, 2 Test and 8 T20Is in a career lasting around 10 years, she aggregated a total of 863 runs (Best- 52) and 51 Wickets (Best- 7/4) from ODIs, 100 runs (Best- 98) from Tests and 86 runs (Best- 27*) with 3 wickets in T20Is. Her ODI figure of 7 runs 4 wickets from 8 overs with an economy of 0.50 is to date the best bowling figure of the format among women and also makes Sajjida the youngest to a 5-wicket haul in the format. It came in July 2003 against Japan.
Considered as one of the finest cricketers, the youngster also played domestic cricket for Hyderabad, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, Baluchistan, and Sindh.
Sajjida Shah retired from international cricket in 2010 while she played domestic cricket till 2017.
Author of the poetry book ‘The Scent of Rhythm’, I am a passionate writer and a Sports enthusiast who writes on Cricket and plays Badminton.