Marufa Akter is the new star of Bangladesh Women. ©Getty
Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter seems to be working on two things at once in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup – mastering her swing and improving her English. The right-arm fast bowler has already drawn attention for her ability to move the ball, but few know how determined she is to build her English vocabulary.
Bangladesh’s batting coach, Nasiruddin Faruque, has made it a rule for Marufa to speak only in English during their conversations, a practice that has started to pay off. “When she comes to have a chat with me I ask her to talk in English and she is trying to do that to the best of her ability and as a result getting better than before when it comes to talking in English,” Nasiruddin tells Cricbuzz.
Marufa echoed the same sentiment when asked about it. “He (Nasiruddin) inspires me a lot. He always tells me to speak in English with him to improve day by day. Whenever I talk with him, he tells me to say that in English and not in Bengali. That’s how I practice English with him,” she said with a smile.
While learning English remains a long-term project, Marufa’s immediate focus is on her performance with the ball. In Bangladesh’s opening two games, against Pakistan and England, she impressed with her sharp swing. It could have been even better had she not been forced off the field against England with a side strain before completing her quota of overs.
For now, she’s set to return for the game against New Zealand and pace bowling coach Alamgir Kabir is guiding her to make the most of the popping crease, an area of focus that could make her even more dangerous.
“She has always been able to swing the ball well. My role was only to fine-tune a few aspects, especially encouraging her to use the popping crease more effectively, which would make her inswingers more effective. That’s where I focused while working with her,” said Alamgir. “Her action is natural. Of course, there is always some scope for improvement, and hopefully she will continue to work on it but now she looks much more confident.”
Marufa herself is aware of the importance of this technical aspect and has been consciously working on it. “Yes. I am working on it and even before I worked on it (using the popping crease) in off time as after my HSC examination I had off time and then I worked on it,” she said. “I am working on developing my different skill set because you have to bring something new on the table to succeed and learning to use the popping crease better is one of those things,” she added.
The 20-year-old also spoke about how she managed her recovery after a shoulder injury she suffered a year ago, ensuring she arrived at the World Cup fresh and fit. “Around a year ago I had a shoulder injury and I managed my workload due to that injury. I was not out of games actually and I did not play the Premier League considering I had rest and rehab at that period. Taking proper rest (to recover from my shoulder pain) made me feel good and I came into the tournament with a fresh body,” she said.
For Bangladesh’s team management, Marufa’s development, both on the field and off it, is a source of quiet satisfaction. And if she continues to shine with the ball, perhaps she’ll soon celebrate by singing an English song, the perfect icing on her evolving dream.
© Cricbuzz
