Former Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof announces retirement

Former captain of Pakistan women’s cricket team, Bismah Maroof, announced her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.

The development, which comes as a surprise to many in the cricketing fraternity, comes after the high-profile Pakistani player took a break from cricket due to a fitness issue and subsequently embraced parenthood.

In a statement released to the media, Maroof said her cricketing journey was laden with challenges, wins and unforgettable memories. “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,” the Pakistani player wrote.

She added that she was grateful to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for implementing the first-ever parental policy for cricketers. She is the first Pakistani woman cricketer to avail a 12-month maternity leave with pay policy and even grabbed headlines when she took her baby to the 2022 ICC World Cup in New Zealand.

“I want to express my gratitude to my family, who has supported me throughout my cricketing journey, from the very beginning until now. 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,” she added in the statement.

Maroof made her ODI debut against India in 2006 and represented Pakistan in 276 international matches, the most by any Pakistani woman cricketer. The Southpaw had made her T20I debut against Ireland in 2009. She scored 6,262 international runs, including 33 half-centuries, and took 80 wickets, bowling leg-spin.

She led her country in 96 matches and was a part of the victorious Pakistan team that won the gold medal at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. She competed in four editions of the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup (2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022), captaining the team in the 2022 edition held in New Zealand. In T20Is, Bismah featured in eight editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup between 2009 and 2023 and led the side in the 2020 and 2023 editions.