In the recently concluded 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup, Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof’s infant daughter Fatima grabbed many eyeballs. Accompanying her mother to the ground, Fatima attracted the shutterbugs and made news for herself.
Maroof, who has been an inspiration for all the young girls playing cricket, resumed action just after a few months of delivering her baby. She led Pakistan in the World Cup and will be next seen in the Sri Lanka series starting from May 24. After this Pakistan will tour to Ireland for a tri-series in July which will also include Australia.
Later in the year, Pakistan will be one of the eight teams to feature in the Commonwealth Games to be played in Birmingham. While Maroof will lead Pakistan in this T20 tournament, she will not be accompanied by her daughter Fatima to the Games village. The organizers have not granted accreditation to young Fatima and her nanny to access the Games village. Despite her daughter being denied accreditation, Maroof has made herself available for the Commonwealth Games, which will see cricket returning to the event after 24 years.
Bismah Maroof thanks PCB for introducing the maternity policy at the right time.#TeamPakistan pic.twitter.com/biw1lpV2s5
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) May 15, 2022
According to a source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), “The baby and nanny will travel to Birmingham for the games but will not stay with her in the village as the organizers didn’t give permission as they don’t have a parental policy.”
Maroof has also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the PCB for standing by her and supporting her throughout her journey. The Pakistan skipper said, “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.”
The 30-year-old also thanked her family and her husband, Abrar, who have been her pillars of strength and encouraged her to pursue the sport that she loves.
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
