Diana Baig

Diana Baig is a Pakistani cricketer and former footballer who represents her country on the international stage. She primarily functions as a right-arm medium-fast bowler for the national cricket team.

Early life and education

Baig was born on 15 October 1995 in Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan. Her initial interest in sports developed through playing street cricket and football. Because she was an enthusiastic learner, she moved to Lahore to pursue her intermediate and undergraduate studies. She attended Lahore College for Women University, where her academic and athletic endeavors earned recognition from the college. Baig is fluent in three languages: English, Urdu and Burushaski.

Career

Baig began her journey in football by chance. She was selected for a domestic football team after a shortage of players occurred. This early experience helped her develop the multi-talented sporting side that eventually led to international representation in two different sports.

Her cricket career started in 2010 when she led the Gilgit-Baltistan women's cricket team. She earned a spot on Pakistan's A team in 2012, which preceded her selection for the full national squad in 2013. After being included in the squad for the 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup, she made her official international debut against Bangladesh in 2015. She also participated in the 2016 ICC Women's World Twenty20.

During the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, Baig delivered an impressive performance in an ODI against India. She entered the match to replace Kainat Imtiaz and immediately took the wicket of Smriti Mandhana with an inswinger. This specific bowling and fielding display earned her praise from commentator Ian Bishop.

Baig has maintained a consistent presence in major international tournaments over several years. In October 2018, she joined the Pakistan squad for the ICC Women's World Twenty20 in the West Indies. She was later named to the squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. Her participation continued through the 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe and the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

She represented Pakistan at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, during May 2022. Baig was also named to the squad for the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Most recently, she was part of the Pakistan squad for the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier held in April 2025.

Personal life

Baig grew up in Hunza before relocating to Lahore for her higher education. Her transition from Gilgit Baltistan to a major city allowed her to focus on her studies and professional sports. She remains a multi-talented athlete who has competed in both football and cricket.