Former cricketer Isa Guha, the first woman of South Asian descent to appear for England in any sport, was awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours for services to inclusivity and cricket.

A two-time World Cup winner, Guha played eight wome’s Tests, 83 ODIs and 22 T20Is, taking a combined 148 wickets with her bustling medium pace.

Guha bid adieu to international cricket on March 9, 2012, the same day when former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid also retired from top-flight cricket.

Guha was just 26 when she decided to end her playing career to focus on a life outside cricket.

But not before she played a key role in England’s wins in both the 50-over World Cup and the T20 World Cup in 2009.

She was also part of England’s two women’s Ashes triumphs in 2005 and 2007-08, taking her career-best match figures of 9 for 100 at Bowral.

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Since her retirement from cricket, Guha turned to commentary following the footsteps of some of her contemporaries like Anjum Chopra and Lisa Sthalekar.

In 2017, Guha became the first woman to be appointed to the board of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) as a non-executive director.

The 40-year-old’s broadcasting career got a lift in 2014 when she became the first female summariser for BBC Test Match Special and later when she commented on the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Later, she founded a charity trust ‘Take Her Lead’, which aims to increase participation of women and girls in cricket.

Born in 1985 to Barun and Roma, who migrated to London from Kolkata in the 1970s, Guha still retains her connection with her ancestral town, often making a quick visit to keep her familial ties intact.

Published on Dec 30, 2025