Bismah Maroof’s cradle celebration: Pakan skipper dedicates half-century to her ba Fatima

Just a second match into her comeback after childbirth and Pakan captain scores a half-century and she has dedicated it to her ba girl, Fatima. Bismah Maroof celebrated her fifty with a ba rocking gesture looking at her ba in the dressing room.
Maroof becomes the first Pakani player to score a half-century against Australia in ODI World Cup on Tuesday. She remained unbeaten on 78. During her 122-ball knock, the skipper smashed eight boundaries and helped her team to reach the respectable total of 190 for 6 against Australia.

📸ICC/Getty https://t.co/X5SbSrPpG9 pic.twitter.com/I9dtpFjlyI
— Pakan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 8, 2022
Pakan lost their opening match against India 107 runs in a one-sided affair but their arch-rivals were left weak-kneed as they gathered around Ba Fatima post-match.

Vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Meghna Singh and Richa Ghosh were seen making playful gestures at the toddler cradled in Maroof’s arm.

🏏 Cricket kit🧳 Bags packed👶 Ba cradle
Pakan captain Bismah Maroof ready to face India 😁#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/1ntYZfCzPY
— ICC (@ICC) March 6, 2022
Even before the game, photographs of Maroof entering the stadium in Mount Maunganui with her daughter — born in August last year — cradled in her arms had become an instant hit on social media.

That 30-year-old Maroof was able to travel to New Zealand with her daughter — as well as her mother, Fatima’s carer — as Pakan Cricket Board’s maternity rule allows the mother “to travel with a support person of her choice to ass in caring for her infant child”, with travel and accommodation costs shared equally between the board and the player.

Star India opening batter Smriti Mandhana has hailed “inspirational” Pakan captain Bismah Maroof for setting an example for sportswomen across the world returning to play six months after giving birth to a child.
“Coming back post pregnancy in 6 months and playing international cricket is so inspiring. @bismahmaroof setting an example for sportswomen across the globe,” Mandhana wrote in an Instagram post.
“Lots of love to ba Fatima from India and I hope she picks the bat just like you bcoz lefties are special.”
After the match, the ICC tweeted along with a photo: “Little Fatima’s first lesson in the spirit of cricket from India and Pakan.”

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was quick to chip in with his admiring comment.

What a lovely moment! Cricket has boundaries on the field, but it breaks them all off the field.
Sport unites!#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/isgALYeZe1
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 6, 2022
“What a lovely moment! Cricket has boundaries on the field, but it breaks them all off the field. Sport unites!” he wrote in a tweet.