International cricketer Bismah Maroof from Pakistan has announced retirement from international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the news in a statement. With this decision, Bismah ends her 18-year international cricket career.
Having debuted internationally for Pakistan in 2006, Bismah has played a record 276 international matches for her country. The 32-year-old spin all-rounder has taken 80 wickets and scored 6262 international runs.
In her retirement statement, Bismah said, “The decision to retire comes from my love for the game. Every challenge, victory, and mistake has been an extraordinary journey. I’m grateful to my family for their support throughout my cricket career.” Bismah has led Pakistan in 96 matches, including captaining them in the 2020 and 2023 T20 World Cups, as well as the 2022 ODI World Cup.
Expressing gratitude towards PCB, Bismah stated, “I want to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for their belief in me and for providing me with opportunities to showcase my talent. The support I’ve received from PCB, especially their family-friendly policies, is invaluable.” Bismah has played in four Women’s ODI World Cups and eight T20 World Cups for Pakistan.
In 2022 Women’s World Cup, Indian cricketers posted pictures with Bismah and her daughter on social media after the India-Pakistan match, showcasing camaraderie. Prior to the start of the tournament, PCB implemented a comprehensive maternity leave policy extending up to 12 months for Bismah.
Regarding retirement for motherhood, Bismah didn’t explicitly state it in her statement. She expressed deep gratitude to her supporters and fans, mentioning that their unwavering support has been like family to her.
Bismah is one of the leading stars in women’s cricket in Pakistan. Her runs in both ODIs and T20Is are the highest by any Pakistani player—3369 runs in 136 ODIs and 2893 runs in 140 T20Is. She has also secured 21 fifties in ODIs and 12 in T20Is.
Bismah has captained Pakistan in more T20Is than any other player, except Sana Mir (65 matches). She has led Pakistan in 62 T20Is and 34 ODIs.
