Marufa Akter has emerged as the new sensation in Bangladesh women’s cricket team. The youngster from Nilphamari was instrumental behind the Tigresses’ maiden ODI win against India, picking up four wickets in the opening match of the three-match series recently. The 18-year-old pacer then held her nerve to defend three runs in the final over in the final ODI as Bangladesh tied the game and drew the series 1-1. Marufa spoke in detail to The Daily Star’s Mazhar Uddin, opening up about her bowling, life, future plans among many other topics during an exclusive interview, the excerpts of which are as follows:

After leading her side to a historic achievement against a strong India in their recent white-ball series at home, Bangladesh women’s cricket team skipper Nigar Sultana Joty spoke to Mazhar Uddin of The Daily Star, sharing her plans, the areas Bangladesh need to improve, and how the women’s cricket in the country could move forward. Here are the excerpts from the interview:  

Since acquiring the ODI status and stepping into the international scene in 2011, Bangladesh women’s team had their crowning achievement with the 2018 Asia Cup victory.

Bangladesh bowlers have made their presence felt in this ODI series against India but the visitors, with Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues among others, have shown their experience when the game was in balance in the second fixture to level the series.

Batting remains the biggest area of concern for Bangladesh as they will be eyeing to register their maiden ODI series win over India when the two sides will lock horns in the third and series-deciding ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

When India posted 228 for eight after being sent into bat, the target appeared incredibly steep one for the Bangladesh women's cricket team, and it proved to be the case in the end, as the Tigresses were bundled out for 120, slumping to a 108-run loss in the second of the three-match ODI series in Mipur yesterday.

Bangladesh women's team skipper Nigar Sultana Joty deemed her side as favourites going into the first of the three-match ODI series against India, starting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.

Bangladesh women's cricket team saw their wish to play at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium fulfilled, hosting India for a three-match T20I series at the 'home of cricket'.

The 2023 Asia Cup is set to be held in September and will be played in the 50-over format to ramp up preparations for the World Cup in India in November, the president of the Asian Cricket Council, Jay Shah announced on Thursday.

India will look to steamroll a plucky but inconsistent Bangladesh in the second Test starting on Thursday in Dhaka to cement their standing in the ICC Test Championship.

Bangladesh are on the brink of a follow-on against India losing eight wickets for 133 as they trail by 271 runs at stumps on the second day of the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.

The final session on the first day of the opening Test in Chattogram between Bangladesh and India looked to be slipping away with two set batters- Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer- capitalising the settled wicket but the Tigers clawed back from a bleak outlook to take two wickets in the last 10 overs of the day to reduce India to 278-6 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Mustafizur had just won it for Bangladesh! And I was there for it.

Bangladesh scripted another famous ODI series win over India as the Tigers clinched the second match of the three-match series by five runs taking an unassailable 2-0 lead at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

It was at the lowest point of Bangladesh’s innings, with the Tigers tottering at six for 69 in the 19th over that Mehedi Hasan Miraz – saviour of the first ODI against India -- came to the crease.

Bangladesh pacer Ebadot Hossain picked up the prized wicket of India's Virat Kohli in the second over of the innings, while Mustafizur Rahman scalped the other opener Shikhar Dhawan to leave India two down for 13 runs in the second ODI of the three-matchs series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday

Although Bangladesh edged India in the most dramatic of finishes on Sunday, they would have to look back at some of the habitual mistakes they made while pursuing what should've been a straightforward chase.

Bangladesh national cricket team were motoring on with skipper Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan stitching up a 48-run stand before the former brushed one down the leg side to the wicketkeeper off Washington Sundar in the 20th over putting the Tigers in a spot of bother in pursuit of India's 186.

Bangladesh will take on India in the opener of the three-match ODI series starting on Sunday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

In absence of injured Tamim Iqbal, opener Liton Das will be leading Bangladesh in their upcoming three-match ODI series against India this month.