Former Pakistan women’s team captain Bismah Maroof announced her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.
Bismah Maroof. IANS
Former Pakistan women’s team captain Bismah Maroof announced her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.
Having made her international debut in 2006, Maroof represented Pakistan in 276 international matches, aggregating 6,262 international runs, including 33 half-centuries to go with 80 wickets. Maroof holds distinction of being the top scorer in both ODIs (3369 runs) and T20Is (2983) in Pakistan cricket. Remarkably, she is the sole Pakistani cricketer to breach the 3000-run milestone in Women’s ODIs.
Maroof captained Pakistan in a total of 96 games – 62 T20Is (27 wins) and 34 ODIs (16 wins). Only Sana Mir led in more T20Is (65) for Pakistan than Maroof, while in ODIs she was third on the list behind Mir (72) and Shaiza Khan (39).
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“I have decided to retire from the game I love the most. It has been an incredible journey, filled with challenges, victories, and unforgettable memories. I want to express my gratitude to my family, who has supported me throughout my cricketing journey, from the very beginning until now,” she said in a PCB release.
“I also want to extend my thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board for believing in me and providing the platform to showcase my talent. The support from the PCB has been invaluable, particularly in implementing the first-ever parental policy for me, which enabled me to represent my country at the highest level while being a mother. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow players, who have become like family to me. The camaraderie we shared both on and off the field is something I will cherish forever,” she added.
Maroof was part of the women’s team that won the gold medal twice in the Asian Games, in 2010 and 2014. She also represented Pakistan in four editions of the Women’s ODI World Cup (2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022), captaining the team in the 2022 edition held in New Zealand. She featured in eight editions of the T20 World Cup (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023) and led the side in the 2020 and 2023 editions held in Australia and South Africa, respectively.
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