Isa Guha

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At just 17 years old, Isa Guha became the first woman of South Asian origin to represent England in any sport, when she made her international cricket debut in 2002. 

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In a playing career that spanned a decade, Isa was part of one of the most successful teams in English sporting history when, in 2009, England won two World Cups, an Ashes and inflicted an ODI series whitewash over Australia. Prior to this, in 2008, Isa was recognised as the ICC Ranked Number One Women’s Bowler in a period where she registered career best Test figures of 9-100 to help England win the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1934/35. She was also involved in the Ashes winning team in 2005, which helped England regain the Ashes on home soil, after 42 years. At the time of her retirement in April 2012, Isa was positioned as the second highest wicket taker in the all-time England Women’s ODI List and sixth in the world, having been awarded 113 caps. 

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Since then, Isa has continued to break boundaries with a career in broadcasting. Her presenting debut during ITV’s Indian Premier League (IPL) coverage in 2011 led to several other opportunities, soon becoming a mainstay with the BBC and Sky Sports (UK), and affiliations with broadcasters globally including Star Sports, Sony Max (India), and ESPN (West Indies, US), and production companies IMG and Sunset & Vine. Regularly finding herself in unchartered territory, Isa became the first woman to commentate on an Indian Test Series for Star Sports, on any global T20 men’s fixture during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the highly esteemed Sky Sports Test cricket coverage, as well as Triple M Radio in Australia. As a result, Isa’s profile has grown not only in the UK but extends right across the globe, from South Asia and Australia to the US and the Caribbean, including a main role as part of an all-star cast at Fox Cricket in Australia. In 2020, Isa became the lead presenter and commentator of BBC’s cricket coverage as they acquired the highlights and brought live cricket back to the BBC TV for the first time in 21 years along with her longstanding role on BBC’s flagship cricket radio programme Test Match Special.

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CHARITY 

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As an Ambassador for various charities, Isa is keen to make an impact through her work with the British Asian Trust, Justice and Care and is in the process of setting up a charity in her mothers honour (more details to follow). Affiliations continue with Sporting Equals and the ever- important Cricket United charities and she has previously supported the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and Jaguar Academy for Sport. 

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OTHER NOTABLE ASSOCIATIONS/ACHIEVEMENTS 

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Away from the sporting arena, Isa graduated with a 2.1 (Bsc) Hons in Biochemistry at UCL and completed an MPhil in Neuroscience. With a keen desire to make a contribution to science as well as sport, Isa’s research specifically looked at the advancement on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

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Isa will also look to have an influence on cricket and the social cohesion in the U.K on a wider scale having been asked to join the South Asian Strategy Panel for the England and Wales Cricket Board and also as a Trustee of the Berkshire Cricket Foundation who will be enforcing the Spirit of 2012 campaign to engage with local communities. 

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Isa joined the Professional Cricketers Association in May 2018, at an important time for both the women’s and men’s game, helping to drive the EDI agenda and also sits on the Wisden Cricket Editorial Board.