Pakistan retain Bismah Maroof as skipper for 2022-23 season

Pakistan will start their season when they host Sri Lanka for six limited over matches in Karachi from May 24. The ODI leg of the series will be part of ICC Championship for the 2022-25 cycle. They will then travel to Ireland to play a tri-series featuring Ireland, Pakistan in July before the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

“It is truly an honour for any cricketer to captain their country and it is a great privilege for me to continue in this role. The 2022-23 cricket season is the busiest for Pakistan women’s side and we are excited and geared up for the challenges it presents,” Bismah Maroof said.

“Every match in the upcoming season is important for us as a team as bilateral ODIs will determine whether we qualify for the next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and the T20Is provide us opportunities to prepare for the all-important T20 World Cup in February next year.”

Sri Lanka have already announced their 15-member squad for the series and will arrive in the country on May 19. All the matches will be played at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi.

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Maroof, who came back from her maternity break to lead Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand, will continue to travel with the team with her daughter, Fatima, and mother as part of PCB’s parental support policy. The governing body will share the travel and boarding expenses during the Commonwealth Games in the line with the policy.

“I want to thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for its immense support throughout my career and especially in helping me strike the right work-life balance after the birth of Fatima. There was a time when I contemplated giving up on my passion of playing cricket, but the PCB ensured it never came to that with the introduction of the maternity policy, which has made the game as inclusive as it can be for the women in our country,” Maroof added.

“I also want to thank my family and especially my husband, Abrar, who has been a great support throughout my career, and has provided me encouragement to continue to play for Pakistan.”

Tania Mallick, head of Pakistan cricket, lauded Maroof for being an inspiration to women around the world and also congratulated on her retention as the skipper of the side.

“I want to congratulate Bismah Maroof on her retention as the leader of the national side. She has been an inspiration for women around the world with her demeanour on and off the field and I am sure our side will produce strong and consistent results in their leadership over the next year,” Mallick said.

A 26-member Pakistan squad is currently undergoing training at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi. Maroof, who is currently playing in the FairBreak Invitational T20 tournament in Dubai alongside Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig and Fatima Sana, is not part of the camp.