Former skipper of the Pakistan women's cricket team, Bismah Maroof, has pulled the curtains on her international playing career with a shock retirement.
A veteran of Pakistan cricket, Maroof, represented Pakistan in both white-ball formats. She is the most capped Pakistan player in the ODI circuit with 136 appearances and has played the second-most number of games for the country in the shortest format of the game, T20Is.
The southpaw is the leading run-getter for Pakistan in both ODIs and T20Is. She racked up 3369 runs in ODIs at an average of 29.55, including 21 half-centuries. Her highest score of 99 in the ODI format came against South Africa in Sharjah on March 13, 2015.
Bismah aggregated 2893 runs in the 140 T20Is that she played during the course of her career at an average of 27.55 and a strike rate of 91.34. She scored 12 half-centuries in her T20I career.
Maroof had the honour to lead Pakistan in both T20I cricket and ODIs. She captained her side in 62 T20Is and 34 ODIs.
"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," Maroof was quoted as saying via a PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) release.
"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," she concluded.
