Isa Guha


Isa Tara Guha is an English cricket commentator, television and radio cricket broadcaster and a former England cricketer who played in the 2005 World Cup and the 2009 World Cup. She cites winning the World Cup in 2009 as a career highlight.

Early years and education

Guha's parents came to the UK in the 1970s from Kolkata, India. Guha was born into a Bengali family in High Wycombe, England.
Guha started playing cricket with her older brother, when she was about 8 years old, and was selected for the ‘Development England’ side at the age of 13.
She went to Wycombe High School, a state grammar school. She then graduated in biochemistry and molecular biology and gained an MPhil in neuroscience, both at University College London.

Cricket career

A right arm fast-medium bowler, Guha made her Test debut at the age of 17 in the womens Tri-Series against India and New Zealand in 2002. Guha performed well in the series, taking three wickets in England's loss against New Zealand in the final. She was the first woman of Asian heritage to play for England..
She was named BBC Asian Network Sports Personality of the Year. Her best bowling in 44 One-Day Internationals is the 5 for 14 she took against the West Indies in 2008. As of 31 December 2008, she was ranked the number one bowler in the ICC Women's One Day International rankings. She took a career best 5 for 40 in her seventh Test match, against Australia at the Bradman Oval in Bowral in February 2008 and took nine wickets in the match, winning the player of the match award as England retained the Ashes. She was part of the England team who won the 2009 World Cup. She announced her retirement from international cricket on 9 March 2012, although she said she would continue to play county cricket for Berkshire.
Guha, along with Lynsey Askew, shares the world record partnership for the ninth wicket in Women's ODI history.

Media work

Guha writes a column for the BBC Sport website and is a Test Match Special commentator. She joined ITV Sport in April 2012 as a co-presenter of ITV4's coverage of the Indian Premier League.
In 2016, Guha was a member of the inaugural Triple M radio Test cricket commentary team in Australia. In 2018, she was a commentator for Sky Sports for the England/Pakistan Test matches, and was named as a commentator for Fox Cricket for their enhanced Australian cricket coverage. She was also member of the commentary team in 2019 Cricket World Cup. In 2020 she was announced as the presenter of the new BBC Test and ODI highlights show.

Charity interests

Isa Guha is an Ambassador for Sporting Equals and the British Asian Trust.

Personal life

Guha married her long-term boyfriend, musician Richard Thomas of the band Brother and Bones, in September 2018.