Marufa Akter - Bangladesh's next big thing?

Bangladesh's young pacer Marufa Akter is certainly making a mark on the international scene with each passing series. Her performances in the recently concluded ODI series at home against India has been impressive given it came against one of the best batting lineups in the world. She bowled Bangladesh to victory in the first ODI by picking up four wickets and finished the series as the highest wicket-taker.

Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana after the ODI series opener had a small chat with Marufa and later claimed that she is a star in the making. "I think she has a very different action and for her action, she is quicker than we feel she is. So, her ball definitely skids a little more than what we expect from her release point. Definitely, a very good cricketer, I would say," Mandhana said during a press conference in Mirpur ahead of the series concluding match on July 21.

"I had a small chat with her in the post (first) match. Just congratulating her and saying that her efforts have really inspired all of us as well. So it doesn't matter what's her age, but the kind of effort she's been putting on the field as well has been just amazing just to watch her, the kind of fire she has in her to be a good cricketer. I'm sure she's going to be an amazing cricketer going forward for the Bangladesh team."

For Marufa, the last few days have been a dream come true and she certainly holds the conversation with Mandhana close to her heart. "She (Mandhana) first came to me and shook hands. Later, she moved forward and again came back and told me best of luck and added that I am a good fielder and carry a good energy. She told me to carry on as she feels because I can bowl quickly and in the right spot I can go a long way," Marufa told Cricbuzz after the conclusion of the hard-fought series.

She pointed out that she was injured at one point during the third ODI but was determined to come back and bowl the last over, earning her side a tie. "When I went out of the field at that point I said no matter what I will return to the field. If I can take an extraordinary catch it will be good for the team. When I was given the ball in the last over they required three runs. I had only one over. I had faith in myself that I could do it and was thinking I am a good bowler representing Bangladesh and for me, defending two or three runs is not a big deal," she said.

Marufa revealed that she used to play football earlier but later joined cricket as her elder brother pointed out the risks involved in the sport in terms of injuries. "I was running from the early stage of my career. I used to play football a lot in the school ground of my village and I have been like this since my childhood," she said.

"My brother used to say there is a lot of risk in football so after I became a bit older I started playing tape tennis ball cricket with my brothers and that is how it all started.

Speaking on her potent weapon, the inswinging delivery, Marufa revealed that it's a delivery that comes naturally to her. "It comes quite naturally. I like natural swing but didn't look at how it is happening. Probably, this inswing is something that is coming naturally to me. A lot of batters cannot understand it and get out without knowing and later want to play cautiously. Like Shafali Verma. She wanted to come out of the crease and play my ball and what I did was bowl even fuller to her," she said.

During the pandemic, a photograph of her helping out her father in the fields emerged and since then, her upward rise on the cricketing field is quite remarkable. She finished as Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker at the U-19 World Cup to earn a call up to the senior squad and has made heads turn with her performances already. "I came so far due to my performances," she noted. "I am getting the reward of my hard work. Certainly, it feels good. I came from a very poor background. Now, I really feel happy like earlier I did not have the chance to play and used to play in my village but now everyone is watching and knows me. Now I don't have any kind of lacking (financial point of view).

"Everyone supports me a lot. My father didn't understand cricket but now when I call my father at night he tells me you bowl at the legs when you are bowling. Because he doesn't understand he tells me to bowl at the leg of the batter and at times tells me to slow it down. When he tells me these things I really enjoy it," she concluded.