Former captain Bismah Maroof announced retirement from cricket with immediate effect on Thursday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed in a press release.

The left-hander made her ODI debut against India in 2006 and her T20I debut against Ireland in 2009. She featured for Pakistan in 276 international matches, which is the most by any Pakistan women cricketer. She notched up 6,262 international runs, including 33 fifties, and bagged 80 international wickets.

“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,” Bismah said.

“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.”

Bismah won the gold medal twice in the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014.

She also led the side in 96 international matches and represented Pakistan in four editions of the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup (2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022), captaining the team in the 2022 edition held in New Zealand.

In T20Is, Bismah featured for Pakistan in eight editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023) and led the side in the 2020 and 2023 editions held in Australia and South Africa, respectively.