Pakistan's Bismah Maroof has Announced Retirement from International Cricket

Bismah Maroof, the former captain of the Pakistan women's cricket team, has declared her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. She has retired from cricket after playing 276 games for her country, the most by a Pakistani woman cricketer. She scored 3369 runs in 136 one-day internationals and 2893 runs in 140 T20Is. She also grabbed 44 wickets in one-day internationals and 36 in T20Is.

Bismah Maroof - 'A Shining Star of Pakistan team'

Maroof made her international debut in 2006 and has scored 6,262 runs, including 33 half-centuries, and taken 80 wickets in 276 matches.

She captained Pakistan in 96 matches, including the ICC Women's T20 World Cups in 2020 and 2023, as well as the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2022.

"I have decided to retire from the game I love the most,” Maroof said in her statement. “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.

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.

I am deeply grateful to the fans whose unwavering support has been a constant throughout my career, wherever and whenever I represented my country.

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.

Bismah was one of the most successful players from Pakistan

Bismah was forced to take an extended break from cricket, first owing to a fitness issue in 2020, then after giving birth in August 2021. She received a lot of media attention when she brought her baby to the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand. She was the first Pakistani female cricketer to receive a 12-month maternity leave with pay.

Bismah, a left-handed batsman, made her ODI debut against India in 2006. She finishes as the 23rd-highest scorer in women's ODI cricket and the leading scorer for her country, ahead of Javeria Khan. She is the eighth-highest scorer in women's T20 International cricket. Surprisingly, she has never scored a century, coming closest with a 99-run knock against South Africa in 2015.

The 32-year-old last played for the national side in the recently finished three-match ODI series against the West Indies at home. She scored 7, 65, and 19 in three matches, but the visitors won the series with 3-0.

Tania Mallik, the head of Pakistan's women's cricket department, stated that the Board has always been grateful to Bismah for her significant contributions to the game.

Bismah was a member of the women's squad that won gold in the Asian Games twice: in 2010 and 2014.