'Time For Transition': Bismah Maroof Steps Down As Captain Of Pakistan Post T20 World Cup Debacle

Bismah Maroof led Pakistan in a total of 64 T20Is and 34 ODIs.

Out of their four league stage matches in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023, the Maroof-led side managed to win just one.

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Star Pakistan all-rounder Bismah Maroof has announced that she will be stepping down as the captain of the Pakistan women's national cricket team. Her decision comes after the Women In Green failed to make it to the semis in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. Out of their four league stage matches, the Maroof-led side managed to win just one, against Ireland by 70 at the Newlands in Cape Town, but lost the other three against India, West Indies and England.

"There has been no bigger honour for me than leading the 🇵🇰 team. Now, I feel that it is the right time for a transition and chance to groom a young captain. I will always be there to assist, guide and support the team and the young captain in every way. Pakistan Zindabad," the 31-year-old tweeted.

There has been no bigger honour for me than leading the 🇵🇰 team. Now, I feel that it is the right time for a transition and chance to groom a young captain. I will always be there to assist, guide and support the team and the young captain in every way. Pakistan Zindabad!

— Bismah Maroof (@maroof_bismah) March 1, 2023

The left-handed batter led Pakistan in as many as 64 T20Is out of which her side came out on top in 27 matches. In addition, she was the captain of the side in 34 ODIs leading the team to victory in 16 of those. However, before the team's disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2023, Maroof & Co. had produced a similar result in the last edition of the tournament in 2020 where again Pakistan had managed just a solitary win.

Maroof had first been handed over the leadership baton when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had opted for a split leadership. While Sana Mir had remained the ODI skipper back then in 2016, Maroof was made the T20I captain. A year later, Maroof was given the captaincy of both the white-ball formats.

In April 2021, Maroof went on a maternity break and stayed away from the game for more than a year. During this time it was Javeria Khan who was leading the side but when she returned in May last year, she was back at the helm of affairs.