"It has been an honor for me to captain my country" - Bismah Maroof steps down as Pakistan women's captain

Bismah Maroof stepped down as the skipper of the Pakistan women's cricket team earlier today. However, the 31-year-old star has clarified that she will still be available for selection as a player.

Maroof was Pakistan's ODI and T20I captain for a significant amount of time. She made her captaincy debut back in the year 2013. Under her leadership, Pakistan Women played 62 T20Is, recording 27 wins and 32 defeats. In the ODI format, the Women in Green registered 16 wins in 34 matches under her captaincy.

In a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Bismah Maroof said:

"It has been an honor for me to captain my country and I feel fortunate to have led an incredible and hardworking bunch of cricketers."

Maroof described her captaincy career as an exciting ride that was full of ups and lows. She expressed her gratitude to the Almighty for giving her an opportunity to captain her nation.

Why did Bismah Maroof step down as Pakistan captain?

India v Pakistan - ICC Women's T20 World Cup South Africa 2023 (Image: Getty)

In the same statement, Bismah Maroof also mentioned the reason behind her relinquishing the position. She feels that it was a proper time for transition because the Women's Championship cycle is in its initial rounds and the next Women's T20 World Cup is also some time away.

"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," she added.

It will be interesting to see who replaces Maroof as the captain of Pakistan Women in ODIs and T20Is. Nida Dar recently made her captaincy debut in a T20I against England Women but Pakistan ended up losing that game by 114 runs.