Marufa Akter

International career

Marufa Akter (Bengali: মারুফা আক্তার) was born on 1 January 2005. She is a Bangladeshi cricketer. She plays for the Bangladesh women's national cricket team. Her bowling style is right-arm medium fast.

• 2022
  • In November, Marufa was called to the Bangladesh squad for the series against New Zealand.
  • On 4 December, she played her first T20 International match against New Zealand in Dunedin.
  • On 11 December, she played her first ODI match against New Zealand in Wellington.
  • In December, she joined the Bangladesh under-19 team for the 2023 ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
• 2023
  • In the Under-19 World Cup, she took 8 wickets. Her best figure was 2 wickets for 16 runs in 4 overs against the UAE under-19 team.
  • In January, she was named in the Bangladesh squad for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
  • In that tournament, she took 4 wickets. Her best figure was 3 wickets for 23 runs in 4 overs against Sri Lanka.
  • On 14 February, she gained attention for her performance in the T20 World Cup. She took key wickets, including that of Chamari Athapaththu, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Anushka Sanjeewani. Her bowling helped Bangladesh put pressure on Sri Lanka.
  • Her bowling style stood out. She ran in with high speed and delivered full-length balls.
  • Marufa said she did not feel nervous while bowling in such big matches. Her father, a farmer, was not supportive at first. Later, her family supported her after seeing her progress.
  • Her older brother encouraged her. She trained at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP). There, coaches Madam Fatima and Mr Pilu helped her improve.
  • During the pandemic, she gave her first cricket earnings to her family. It was about $412 from a Cox’s Bazar camp. Later, people started talking about her for future leagues like the Women’s Premier League (WPL), though she was not picked.
  • On 16 July, she took 4 wickets for 29 runs in 7 overs against India. This helped Bangladesh win their first-ever ODI against India by 40 runs. She got the Player of the Match award.
  • In August, she was part of the Bangladesh team at the 2022 Asian Games. The team won the Bronze medal.
• 2024
  • In January, she was nominated for ESPNcricinfo's Women’s ODI Bowling Award for her performance against India.
  • She won that award in February.
  • She was selected in the squad for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
• 2025
  • In April, she played in the Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier held in Pakistan.
  • On 19 April, she played her last recorded ODI match against Pakistan in Lahore.
• ODI Career
  • Matches: 26
  • Runs: 60
  • Average: 12
  • Fours: 6
  • Sixes: 0
• T20I Career
  • Matches: 30
  • Runs: 9
  • Average: 2
  • Fours: 0
  • Sixes: 0

Marufa has become a known name in Bangladesh cricket. Coaches, fans, and players from other countries have noticed her skills. 

Leagues Participation

Marufa Akter has not taken part in any leagues.

Domestic career

In 2018–19, Marufa Akter could not join BKSP because her family had no money. When this was shown in the news, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stepped in. They saw her talent. After that, she took the most wickets in the Women's Dhaka Premier League. She was in tenth grade at the time and won the best emerging player award.

She later joined the 15-member squad for the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers.

Earlier, women in Old Dhaka had many limits. Some had to use curtains in rickshaws. Today, players like Marufa move forward with strength.

Now, many women in Bangladesh work in offices, schools, banks, and NGOs. In the garment sector, girls from faraway villages also work and help the economy.

Marufa shows what girls can do. Her path gives strength to others.

Records and achievements

Marufa Akter played in both ODI and T20 formats. She showed strong results and got awards for her work on the field.

• July 16, 2023: Player of the Match in the first ODI against India. Took 4 wickets for 29 runs in 7 overs. Helped Bangladesh win by 40 runs.
• January 2024: Nominated for ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2023.
• February 2024: Won ESPNcricinfo Women’s ODI Bowling Award 2023 for the 4-wicket spell against India.

These results show her strong role in women's cricket.

Personal life

Marufa Akter was born in a poor family. She comes from Dhelapir, a village in Saidpur, Nilphamari District. Her father, Aimullah, works as a farmer. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Marufa helped on the farm. At that time, cricket was far from her reach. There is no public data about a husband or children.

Family

Marufa’s family lives in a rural area. They did not have much money. Her path to cricket started in hard conditions.

Finance

In 2024, Marufa’s money is between $100,000 and $500,000.

Fans

Her Instagram shows 410 followers. It is not confirmed if it is her real account. Her fan base may grow with time.