The world of women’s football in Pakistan suffered a huge loss when Shahlyla Ahmadzai Baloch, an inspiring player, died in a road accident in the Defence Phase-VIII locality of Karachi in the wee hours of October 13.

She was sitting in the front passenger seat with her cousin Fadeian, driving the car, when he lost control and it crashed an electric pole near Do Darya. Shahlyla succumbed to severe head injuries while her cousin received minor injuries.

Shahlyla was an accomplished player and vital asset of Pakistan team which is passing through a developing phase.

This was the second major accident in the last six years in which a woman footballer of Pakistan has been killed.

In August 2010, footballer Misha Dawood, a student of Berkeley University, California, lost her life when Air Blue, carrying 152 passengers, crashed in Margalla Hills in Islamabad.

Misha was flying to Islamabad to represent Diya Women FC in the National Championship when the aircraft crashed.

Shahlyla, aged 20, was called Maradona by her coach Tariq Lutfi, who also coached Balochistan United, owned by Shahlyla’s mother Rubina Irfan, the chairperson of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Women Wing.

Shahlyla’s two elder sisters, Raheela Zarmeen and Sohaila Zarrain, are also associated with the club, which also hold national title.

Raheela now acts as manager of Pakistan team. Sohaila, a student of Dow Medical College, captains Balochistan United.

Shahlyla was expected to achieve a lot in the coming years because of her devotion and love for the game. She was a great talent and aspired to play for Barcelona. Being a potentially glorious striker and daughter of affluent parents it was not difficult for Shahlyla to play anywhere in the world.

She was such a dedicated  player that she practised regularly despite being enrolled in a university. Shahlyla began her football career at the age of seven and made her domestic debut in the inaugural National Women Championship in 2005. She also grabbed FIFA’s award for the youngest player. She was part of the Pakistan team in the SAFF Women Championships in 2010 in Dhaka, 2012 in Sri Lanka and 2014 in Islamabad.

In the Dhaka affair Pakistan faced a humiliating 0-8 drubbing at the hands of arch-rivals India in the semi-finals.

In Colombo and Islamabad, Pakistan failed to advance beyond the group stage.

In terms of skills, Shahlyla had no match in Pakistan. She was a fine dribbler and her headers were fantastic. She would wear jersey No7 and a source revealed that her club has now decided that the jersey carrying this number will not be used by any one in her club.

Lutfi said that he was finding it difficult to believe that Shahlyla was no more in the world. "I am very depressed. I did not think she would go this same way," Lutfi told ‘The News on Sunday’ in an interview.

"She was a perfect player. Her body coordination was perfect. She was short but her ball control and travelling with the ball was a treat to watch," said Lutfi, who coached Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for several years and also coached and managed Pakistan men’s team for several years. He is also a FIFA-recognised instructor.

"I would call her Maradona because of her short stature and great dribbling ability. Pakistan’s captain Hajra Khan is a fine player but it was Shahlyla who contributed to Hajra’s goals. Being a play-maker Shahlyla would feed her both at the domestic and international level. Hajra is a sprinter while Shahlyla was a true playmaker, a highly gutsy player," Lutfi recalled.

"Shahlyla wanted to learn. She wanted to move ahead and was extremely obedient a player. I am really depressed that she is no more with us," Lutfi said.

Lutfi recalls what happened when Shahlyla scored a goal against Afghanistan in Dhaka in the SAFF Cup.

"In the first game she did not score and was very depressed. I told her that she would score in the next game against Afghanistan. I told her that when she would score she should not run anywhere but should come straight to me. When she struck she galloped towards me and hid behind me while her mother Rubina was looking for her. After some time Rubina noticed that Shahlyla was behind me.

It was a great moment and when I recall that and then think she is no more with us it is heart-wrenching," Lutfi said.

Lutfi said that her parents had a great role in women’s football development in Pakistan. "It is because of Rubina Irfan’s devotion to women football that her club has progressed. She wants to have the cream of Pakistan in her club and that is why the team has progressed," Lutfi said.

"Shahlyla was a real motivation for the club and would always be missed both as player and human. May God rest her soul in eternal peace," Lutfi said.

"Her family is in shock. The other day when I went to her home, women were sitting with her mother Rubina. When she saw me she invited me inside the room. When I entered she told me that my Maradona has left them," Lutfi recalled.

Shahlyla and Hajra also had a brief stint with the Maldives’ Sun and Resorts FC last year. She also scored a hat-trick during her month-long stint with the club. Shahlyla was a torch-bearer of women football in Pakistan and will always remain a motivation for young girls who want to play the game in a society where women players face many problems.

Pakistan men’s football team assistant coach Nasir Ismail also paid tribute to Shahlyla. "I watched her playing. She was a skilled player and had great future ahead. She will always be remembered," Nasir told TNS.

"In a country like Pakistan where women football is not developed, seeing such a fine player like Shahlyla was great," Nasir said.