Marufa nominated for ICC Women's Emerging Cricketer

 
Bangladesh Women's cricket team pacer Marufa Akter was shortlisted for the ICC Women's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award, revealed by the global cricket's governing body on Wednesday.

Her impressive performance in the debut year saw her making it amongst the nominees.

Marufa made an instant impact since her debut prior to February's ICC Women's T20 World Cup. She then established her as Bangladesh's most successful player, showing her credential against Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

Her performance against India at home was especially noteworthy as she left the mighty neighbouring country baffled with her intelligent bowling and earned plaudits from Indian star Smriti Mandhana.

She was the key player in helping the side draw the three-match ODI series against India.

Marufa had only played a handful of international matches prior to February's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, but the teenager made an instant impression in her first major ICC tournament.

The right-armer caused a major scare in Sri Lanka's batting order as she picked up two wickets in consecutive balls and three for the match while collecting impressive figures of 3/23 in just her third T20I contest.

Marufa then got the prized scalp of Beth Mooney in her next match at the T20 World Cup when taking on powerhouse Australia, before finishing the tournament with a total of four wickets and a tidy economy rate of 6.31.

The 18-year-old further impressed in white-ball matches on home soil against India during the middle of the year and became one of the first players picked in Bangladesh's side towards the end of 2023 during series against Pakistan and South Africa.

While hard to top Marufa's three-wicket haul against SrI Lanka at the T20 World Cup, the seamer produced an even more impressive performance when bowling her team to victory in the first ODI against India in Mirpur in July.

Bangladesh only managed a miserly 152 with the bat and had to bowl India out to have any chance of victory and Marufa picked up four massive wickets to guide her side to a memorable 40-run (DLS method) victory.

Marufa's figures of 4/29 that day remain her best in international cricket so far, but if she continues on her upward trend it's likely there will be more big hauls to come.

England's Lauren Bell, Scotland's Darcey Carter and Australia's Phoebe Litchfield are named along with her as the four leading contenders for the crown after they enjoyed remarkable form in 2023.