2024-02-21 11:40:16
The first match of the ODI series against India at home. Bangladesh batted first and were all out for just 152 runs. Perhaps no one thought that Bangladesh would win this run against a strong team like India.
But Bangladesh won by Marufa Akhtar’s great bowling. Marufa took 4 wickets with 29 runs to bowl India out for 113 in 35.5 overs. Rains won by 40 runs. Which was Bangladesh’s first win against India.
Marufa was the man of the match with great bowling. Before that, no one had taken four wickets in the history of women’s ODI cricket in Bangladesh.
His great performance was rewarded this time. Marufa’s haul of 4 wickets for 29 runs in ODIs has been awarded as Cricinfo’s Performance of the Year 2023.
In this journey, the emerging pacer of Bangladesh has left behind four people. The closest competitor among them was Nadine de Klerk of South Africa. who took 4 wickets for 32 runs against Pakistan in Karachi. Pakistan lost 3 wickets in 20 runs off his bowling. In the end all out was 168 runs. And the Protea women won that match by 6 wickets.
Marufa is very happy to receive the Cricinfo award. He said, ‘Alhamdulillah, I am very happy to receive this award. I can’t explain how happy I am. I am very happy. Being the first of the four, it feels great.’
Recalling that match, he said, ‘I was bowling well from the beginning. After getting the first wicket I bowled more aggressively. Then I bowled according to the target. Got four wickets. Smriti Mandhana’s wicket was the best. Then there was a bold.’
‘I felt very happy with myself. I was also in that group. The match in which India lost. I was also able to contribute. Luck was with me. I was man of the match with 4 wickets. Marufa added.