Pakistan celebrating their 75th Independence day on the 14th of August felicitated three cricketers with civil awards. Women’s team skipper Bimah Maroof was conferred with Tamgha-E-Pakistan, men’s team skipper Babar Azam with Sitara-E-Pakistan and blind cricketer Masood Jan with the Pride of Performance award.
Bismah Maroof
Bismah Maroof is one of Pakistan’s finest and is among those very female cricketers from Pakistan who’ve made a big name for themselves on the world stage. Bismah Maroof was presented with Tamgha-E-Pakistan which is the 4th highest civilian award and it means Medal of Pakistan. Bismah Maroof in 115 innings has got to 2891 runs in the ODI format at an average of 29.20 and a strike rate of 57.44. A surprising fact is that a player of this big stature hasn’t got to an ODI ton. Yes, that’s very true with her personal best being 99, the all-important 1 was missed and has 16 fifties in the 50-over format. The 31-year-old in the T20I format has scored 2388 runs in 111 appearances at an average of 27.44 and a strike rate of 91.11. In the format, she’s got the highest score of 70* and has 11 fifties to her name.
Skipper Bismah Maroof has been bestowed with Tamgha-e-Pakistan on the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan (August 14).
Congratulations @maroof_bismah #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/MbJR7LDKjD
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 14, 2022
Masood Jan
Masood Jan is a blind cricketer, he was part of the Pakistani team during the inaugural edition of the 1998 Blind Cricket World Cup. He held the world record for the highest individual score by a blind cricketer in a 40-over blind cricket match with a career-best score of 262* and the record was broken in July 2022 after 24 years before by Australian Steffan Nero who smashed 309*. However, the 262* against South Africa had come during the World Cup so he still holds the record for the highest individual score ever by a blind cricketer in Blind Cricket World Cup history. In the tournament final against South Africa his 146 went in vain but was awarded as the best batsman of the B3 category in the 1998 Blind Cricket World Cup and today received the right recognition with the Pride of Performance award.
Babar Azam
Pakistan men’s team skipper, Babar Azam was presented with the Sitara-E-Pakistan which stands third on the hierarchy of the civilians’ award and means Star of Pakistan. Babar Azam is one of Pakistan’s best across all formats and is among the top 5 cricketers in world cricket. Babar Azam has got 3122 runs in 75 at an average of 47.30 and a strike rate of 53.55 with the highest score of 196. He’s got to as many as 23 fifties and 7 tons in the format. The 27-year-old in the ODI format has 4442 runs at an average of 59.22 and a strike rate of 90.24. With the highest score of 158, Babar has got 19 centuries and 17 half-centuries in the format. In 69 T20I innings, he’s got to 2686 at an average of 45.52 and strike rate of 129.44. With the highest score of 122, he’s got a century and 26 half-centuries to his name in the shortest format.
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