Bismah Maroof calls time on her international career

Pakistan Women Premier batter Bismah Maroof has retired from International cricket. It was a shocking development because she hung up her boots with immediate effect. She confirmed the development on Thursday (25th April). 

Bismah Maroof was one of the most prolific batters to have played for the women's team. She played an instrumental role in making the Pakistani team a dominating force in world cricket. The former skipper of the team made her debut against India in 2006 and then was part of the famous win for the two teams. 

Bismah Maroof started her International Cricket career with ODI, playing against India in 2006, and went on to play 276 games in the format. She made her debut against Ireland in 2009 in T20Is. The batter went on to score a total of 6,262 international runs for the team to go with 33 fifties. Apart from that she was handy with the ball as she claimed 80 wickets with the ball with her leg sin. 

For the last few years, Bismah Maroof has been struggling to get going. She faced an injury in 2020. However, after that, she gave birth to a baby girl in August 2021. Since then she has been in and out of the cricketing action but gave her best for the team. 

Talking about retirement, Bismah Maroof stated that it has been an incredible journey for her with the Pakistan Cricket Team. She expressed her gratitude towards the family and all those who supported her. She said in a statement: 

"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." 

Bismah Maroof played a decent role in Pakistan winning the Gold Medal twice in the Asian Games. The team achieved the fest in the 2010 and 2014 editions. She also captained the team in 96 international matches. 

The support from the PCB has been invaluable - Bismah Maroof 

Bismah Maroof further extended her thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board, saying that the governing body has shown invaluable support to her. She also talked about the PCB with their parental policy which allowed her to represent the country while being a mother. She stated: 

"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." 

Bismah Maroof also played eight editions in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup between 2009 and 2023. She also led the side in the 2020 and 2023 editions. Her absence will leave a massive void in the Pakistan team, especially with the kind of capability she has.