Former Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof has called time on a legendary 17-year career in international cricket with immediate effect. However, he is available to play league cricket.
One of the most prominent names in women’s cricket, the 32-year-old finishes as Pakistan’s top run-scorer in both ODI and T20I formats. She scored 3369 runs in 136 ODIs at an average of 29.55, which included 21 half-centuries and a top score of 99. In T20Is, she had 2893 runs in 140 games, with 12 fifties and an average of 27.55.
Maroof captained Pakistan in a total of 96 matches – 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).
“I have decided to retire from the game I love the most. It has been an incredible journey, full of challenges, victories and unforgettable memories,” she said at PCB on Thursday. “I want to express my gratitude to my family who have supported me throughout my cricketing journey, from the very beginning till now.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board for believing in me and providing a platform to showcase my talent. The support from the PCB has been invaluable, especially in implementing the first ever parenting policy for me, enabling me to represent my country at the highest level while still being a mother.
“Finally, I would like to thank my teammates who have become like family to me. The camaraderie we have shared on and off the field is something I will cherish forever.”
Maroof joined the Pakistan team as a 15-year-old against India in Jaipur in 2006 and quickly established herself as a regular. She scored 43 on debut but took four years to score her maiden half-century in 2010 against the Netherlands. Her highest score of 99 was against South Africa in 2015. However, it didn’t take her long to score her first T20I fifty, getting there only in her second match against Sri Lanka in 2009.
Maroof was handed the Pakistan T20I captaincy in June 2016 and the ODI role in September 2017. She took an indefinite hiatus in December 2020 to prepare for the birth of her daughter Fatima and then take care of her, but returned in January 2022. ODI World Cup and since then she has been juggling cricket with her new life as a mother.
Maroof stepped down as captain last year following Pakistan’s group stage exit from the Women’s T20 World Cup. She last played the three-match ODI series against West Indies and scored 65 in the second ODI. Pakistan lost the three-match series 3–0.
Maroof was part of the women’s team that won the gold medal twice at 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 2022 in New Zealand. Maroof featured in eight editions of the T20 World Cup (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2023) and led the side in 2020 and 2023, which were held in Australia and South Africa.
No other player from Pakistan has played more ODIs than Maroof’s 136, while she is second on the list in T20Is behind Nida Dar.