Pakistan women football's 'mini-Maradona' Shahlyla Ahmadzai Baloch dies in car crash in Karachi

Pakistan women's football team's 'mini-Maradona' Shahlyla Ahmadzai Baloch was on Wednesday night killed in a car crash in Karachi, according to a news in Dawn.

According to the reports, the accident took place when Shahlyla's car struck against a pole in Defence phase 8 in Karachi.

Her coach Tariq Lutfi called her “mini-Maradona” in reference to the Argentine great Diego Maradona.

Lufti said after the accident that Pakistan has lost the best female football player the country has ever produced.

The Daw quoted the a senior police offer as saying: "Fadeian Baloch was coming from ‘Do Darya’ towards Village in his Toyota Corolla car with his cousin Shahlyla Baloch. The driver lost control and the car hit the footpath and then against a barrier.”

The police official said Shahlyla died in the accident, and the driver of the car has been arrested.

Who was Shahlyla Ahmadzai Baloch

Reports in Pakistani media say that Shahlyla Baloch's death has left a huge void for Pakistani society as well as she broke cultural barriers to live the life she wanted.

Baloch was born in 1996 and she was a striker on the Balochistan women's football team.

Baloch started playing football at the age of 7 years. She had received the FIFA's youngest players award also. She was also awarded the best player of Pakistan thrice 2009, 2011 and 2013.

Her coach said Shahlyla’s death was a great loss to Pakistan women’s football.

Her mother, Senator Rubina Irfan, has been the chairperson of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Women’s Wing and her father has also been a provincial minister.