Former Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir announced her retirement from international cricket Saturday after a glittering career.
The 34-year-old took the top spot in women’s ODI rankings in 2018 and helmed the team that took home gold from the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games.
Her rise dovetailed with the growth in sporting opportunities for Pakistani women, who were not allowed to play in open fields in the country until the early 2000s.
Words fall short when I want to thank you all for the love,support & encouragement in the past 15 yrs. It has been an honor to serve Pak & don the green Jersey with absolute pride. It is time for me to move on. IA the service will continue in a different form. PakistanZindabad 💚 pic.twitter.com/wKqwQ4ZqWr
— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) April 25, 2020
“It gives me great satisfaction that I have been part of the great success stories for women’s cricket,” she said, according to a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Sana played 226 international matches since her 2005 debut. She is one of only nine women cricketers to have taken 100 wickets and scored 1,000 runs in ODI matches. She also led Pakistan to two World Cups and five T20 World Cups. But early this year selectors dropped her from the squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia, hinting that her career was nearing an end.
A wonderful ambassador for the sport, Sana Mir has been a role model for young women around the world.
— ICC (@ICC) April 25, 2020
📹 WATCH pic.twitter.com/Cmr7Kplbrj
Thank you Captain @mir_sana05 ❤🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/QaibiZyHsl
— Bismah Maroof (@maroof_bismah) April 25, 2020
Thank you @mir_sana05 ❤. pic.twitter.com/0JMGS2qP8j
— Javeria Khan (@ImJaveria) April 25, 2020
Congratulations #SanaMir on a wonderful career. It was always a pleasure playing against you. A true ambassador of women's cricket across the globe and someone who inspired a generation of cricketers to take up the sport. Wishing you good luck on your next innings. 🙏🏽 @mir_sana05
— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) April 25, 2020
Most international matches as captain of Pakistan:
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) April 25, 2020
187 Imran Khan
151 Misbah-ul-Haq
137 Sana Mir
134 Wasim Akram
119 Inzamam-ul-Haqhttps://t.co/KfhYi8N6aC
There were times when women's cricket had no profile in Pakistan and precious little interest. And along came @mir_sana05, and thankfully none of that is true anymore.
— Danyal Rasool (@Danny61000) April 25, 2020
Cricket - not just women's - owes her a massive debt of gratitude.
Congratulations on an incredible career @mir_sana05 Few people in sport have done more to break down barriers for those coming behind them and been such an ambassador for cricket and Pakistan. Looking forward to seeing what comes next! pic.twitter.com/piKRUPQmXv
— Isobel Joyce (@izzyjoyce) April 25, 2020
Congratulations @mir_sana05 & Bravo 👏🏼👍🏼. U must be proud what u achieved for beloved country 🇵🇰. U inspired many so Well done & Best wishes for future endeavours 🤲🏼 Stay Blessed https://t.co/Rzg6e5t5jt
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) April 25, 2020
Thank you @mir_sana05 for a splendid cricketing career and more importantly, for being an ambassador for millions of young girls!
— Quetta Gladiators (@TeamQuetta) April 25, 2020
You made 🇵🇰 proud with your performances that lead you to the 🔝 ICC ODI ranking#BackOurGirls #ShaanePakistan
pic.twitter.com/odibYWaNTq
Congratulations to @mir_sana05 on a fine cricket career. Pakistan’s cricket will always be thankful to you for your services and performances that also made you number one bowler in the ICC ODI Rankings. You were truly an icon. All the best with the future. #legendretires
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) April 25, 2020
Congrats Sana on a stellar career. Well played!!! Best wishes for all your endeavours 👍🏻😊@mir_sana05
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) April 25, 2020
Congratulations on an amazing career @mir_sana05 but as they say, all good things come to an end! You served the nation with pride and passion and achieved many great things for the nation. Happy retirement!
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) April 25, 2020
Thank you for inspiring many girls like myself to pick up the bat and pursue their passion.
— Roha Nadeem (@RohaNadym) April 25, 2020
Congratulations on a terrific career @mir_sana05. Excited to see what’s next for you and indeed this is just another beginning, skip. 💚 https://t.co/3UM2A7am2E
When you read accounts of the team and interviews you really understand her impact within the team--a confident woman broke records and who led by example but also took time to nurture players, teaching them to navigate the complex landscape of being a woman in sports.
— shmilo (@shmyla) April 25, 2020
Sana Mir's legacy is making the game better. You can have a pretty cover drive, or bowl a decent outswinger, but what she did outlives those things. Cricket was lucky to have her.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) April 25, 2020
I will always see @mir_sana05 as a face of strength,leadership & equality for women in Pakistan.I am very sure that we have only just seen the start of her career as Women like Sana have a ‘never quit’ spirit & I’m sure she will continue to be a huge support for women in sport 🤗
— Shaniera Akram (@iamShaniera) April 25, 2020
Sana Mir, who announced her retirement today, was the first bowler from Pakistan to take 100 wickets in women's ODIs 👏
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) April 25, 2020
She achieved the feat against Bangladesh during the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Nq8ZKoNAbm
A true game-changer. There’ll forever be women’s cricket in Pakistan before Sana Mir and women’s cricket in Pakistan after Sana Mir https://t.co/CJXxAqcT5n
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) April 25, 2020
Greatness is hard to find and hard to quantify these days, but Sana Mir's was always in such plain evidence. A true champion. https://t.co/9ERGFld9y1
— Asad Rahim Khan (@AsadRahim) April 25, 2020
With AFP Inputs
