Bismah Maroof steps down as Pakistan captain

LAHORE: Bismah Maroof has stepped down as Pakistan women’s national team captain but will remain available for selection as a player, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday.

Bismah was named as Pakistan’s all-format captain in September 2017 and has had the best win/loss ratio amongst all the regular players to lead the country in One-Day Internationals (1.000) and T20 Internationals (0.843). Under her leadership, the ODI team played 34 matches and won 16, while the T20I side won 27 of 62 matches.

Bismah Maroof: “It has been an honour for me to captain my country and I feel fortunate to have led an incredible and hardworking bunch of cricketers. It has been one exciting ride, which has been full of highs and lows, but, at the end of the day, I will always be thankful to Almighty for providing me this opportunity.

“With the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle in its initial stages and the 2024 T20 World Cup more than a year away, I think this is the right time for me to step down and help so we have a smooth transition.

“I am looking forward to continuing to play as a player and playing my role for the team.”

PCB Management Committee Chair Najam Sethi said: “I congratulate and thank Bismah Maroof for her services as the captain of the national women’s side.

“Bismah has been an inspiration for millions of girls and has been a catalyst for a positive change. With her immense dedication and hard work, she has shown that women can continue to follow their passions and dreams.

“She has always put her country before herself and that is underscored by how she has offered to help in smoothening the leadership transition ahead of an exciting and jam-packed season. I am sure her presence in the Pakistan dressing room will continue to be a source of inspiration to our young cricketers and she will continue to serve Pakistan with honour and pride as she has been doing since she was a teenager.”

Bismah’s replacement will be announced in due course.