Cricket has been Helen Koita Atai’s lifelong passion and now she has made history as Papua New Guinea’s first female international cricket umpire. From village fields to the world stage, her journey is inspiring a new generation in a sport where women are breaking barriers. Born on 7 July 1983 and raised in Hanuabada Village, Port Moresby, Helen’s path reflects resilience, determination, and love for cricket. She began her playing career in the Port Moresby Cricket Association with Mariners CC in 1996, later joining Coasters CC in 2000. Her talent soon earned her a place with the national women’s team, the PNG Lewas, where she represented her country at major tournaments including the 2006 EAP Women’s Cricket Qualifier in Port Moresby and the 2008 Global Women’s World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. After her playing days, Helen transitioned into officiating in 2008, beginning at club level in Port Moresby before formally joining the PNG Cricket Umpires Association in 2012. Her steady rise saw her officiating across senior men’s and women’s domestic matches, junior grades, social competitions, and national tournaments such as the Isuzu T20 Smash. Helen’s commitment to growth has seen her complete numerous training courses and workshops from her first Level 1 Umpires Course in 2008 under veteran Lakani Oala, to advanced sessions with international educators including Dave Orchard, Steve Bernard, Daryl Harper, and Robert Parry. In 2024, she further honed her skills under ICC Master Educator Muhammad Qureshi alongside PNG senior umpires Alu Kapa and Oala. Her international debut came in 2014 at the ICC U19 Men’s East Asia-Pacific Trophy in Queensland, Australia. Since then, Helen has officiated at prestigious tournaments including the Pacific Games in Port Moresby (2015), ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Samoa (2016), and most recently the 2025 Pacific-Aus Sports Cricket Tournament in Port Moresby. Reflecting on her journey, Helen said “I am so proud but humbled to be the first PNG woman umpire at the international level following the footsteps of my male counterparts, Lakani Oala and Alu Kapa, whom I have learnt so much from.” She acknowledged that every international assignment brings new challenges but sees them as opportunities to grow. “Standing alongside World Cup umpires is a great achievement for me and helps upskill my umpiring techniques.” Now aged 42, Helen continues to push boundaries. On Saturday 6 September, she travelled to Fiji to officiate at the ICC East Asia Pacific Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers another milestone in a career built on perseverance and passion. Helen remains committed to encouraging more women to follow in her footsteps. “I encourage women folks out there to take up umpiring as it is and can be rewarding.” She credits Cricket PNG, the ICC, and the EAP region for their recognition and support, while paying tribute to her mentors and trainers for their guidance. For Helen Koita Atai, umpiring is not just about officiating games but also it is about representing PNG with pride and proving that women can stand tall in all areas of the sport.