Pakistan’s ongoing home series against Ireland recently had its One-Day International (ODI) leg conclude with hosts, Pakistan handing Ireland a 3-0 clean sweep. In the series, Pakistan’s all-format skipper, Bismah Maroof, chipped in with handy contributions which proved enough for her to make it to a list that sees her follow a few elite internationals.
Bismah Maroof, in the opening ODI, wasn’t required to bat as the sides opening pair managed the show for as long as 35 overs and skipper, Bismah then asked her middle order batters to quick-fire in providing Pakistan with a flourish. The side put on board a massive total of 335 that Ireland fell way short of and it only was skipper, Laura Delany’s 69 that got the sides total to 207 before being bowled out which resulted in Pakistan winning the opening ODI game by 128 runs.
Pakistan in the 2nd ODI again struck early wickets, but runs from the middle order and tailender, Arlene pushed Ireland to a respectful finish by posting 194. Pakistan in reply lost Muneeba Ali after a start on the score of 27(33) and skipper, Bismah Maroof then partnered with Sidra Ameen. The pair put on a 136-run stand and finished unbeaten on respective scores of 69(70) and 91(93) in handing Pakistan a 9-wicket win and a series win in 32.4 overs.
🚨MILESTONE🚨
🇵🇰Skipper Bismah Maroof completes 3000 ODI Runs#CricketTwitter #TeamPakistan pic.twitter.com/0tjk7z7y0C
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 9, 2022
In the 3rd ODI, the Irish top order finally got going as the team after an 84-run opening stand had a 65-run partnership for the 2nd wicket that saw the teams’ scorecard card read 149/2 (33.3). Ireland failed to make the most of the platform and with Pakistan striking in quick succession, Ireland were bowled out for 225. Pakistan in reply had openers depart early and Bismah Maroof then alongside Sadaf Shamas stitched a crucial run-stand and got to her 2nd successive half-century before being dismissed on 57(70). The lower middle order eventually went on to close the game out for the side to register a clean sweep series win.
31-year-old, Bismah Maroof, during the course of her innings in the 3rd ODI became the first Pakistani female batter to score 3,000 ODI runs and in completing her 1,000 runs as ODI captain, she’s second behind former skipper, Sana Mir’s 1,069 runs.
Bismah Maroof now with 3017 runs to her name off 117 innings at an average of 30.17, a strike rate of 58.32 and her best score of 99 has got as many as 18 half-centuries. In the 3000 ODI runs category, Bismah joins; Smriti Mandhana, Laura Wolvaardt, New Zealand skipper, Sophie Devine, Lizelle Lee, Indian skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur, Ellyse Perry and a few more such elite internationals.
During the 3rd and final ODI, skipper, Bismah Maroof etched yet another record into the books by becoming the country’s most capped player in women’s ODI with her 121st appearance, edging past former skipper, Sana Mir’s 120 ODI appearances.
Pakistan with a 2-1 home series win against Sri Lanka and now with a 3-0 whitewash against Ireland are 2nd on the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Championship points table for the 2022/23-25 cycle with 10 points to their name off 5 wins.