Marufa: Saga of an indomitable girl
“I can’t provide you money, go at your way,”
Aimullah expressed his outburst with his youngest daughter. And what was her fault? She dreamt of becoming a cricketer. For a family that is struggling to make ends meet, its youngest daughter striving to become a cricketer is tantamount to severe transgression.
But, as they say, your dream is bigger than your life. Marufa Akhter, who was recipient of that angry spite just four years ago, has conquered all the odds, battled against poverty and has become the highest wicket-taker in the women’s Dhaka Premier Cricket League.
Even though her team BKSP finished third in the league, she claimed 23 wickets in 11 matches. She was also crowned as the best emerging cricketer of the tournament. As reward, Marufa, the 16-year old, has been called up in the 15-member squad for the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers.
The innocence of adolescence is still visible on her face. However, when the teenager gets a ball in her hand, she transforms herself into a matured right-arm fast bowler, seeking to conquer the world with her belligerence.
She takes her time to shine the ball in her trousers, tosses it in the air multiple times to correct her grip. Gets two steps forward, a little hop, another seven steps and then the ball gets flung into the pitch. The whole process creates a remarkable saga, the story of an indomitable girl, epitomises thousands like her in the country.
En route to become the highest wicket-taker, Marufa even had a seven-wicket haul. In that match-winning performance against Gulshan Youth Club, she conceded only 15 runs in her nine overs.
A peek at her stats shows that she has the potential to blossom into an attacking batter lower down the order. In six innings, she has scored 119 runs at an average of 19.83 including a 63-run innings off just 48 balls against City Club.
And all this has occurred in only her second season at women’s top-flight cricket. The ‘second season’ label also requires further explanation. During her debut season she played only one-off match for Mohammedan Sporting Club thanks to “Peelu sir’ and scored four off two balls. However, she failed to showcase anything at bowling, her forte, as MSC coaching staff didn’t even know about Marufa’s bowling abilities!
A new chapter in Marufa’s life began last year when she got admitted into BKSP. She had to undergo dramatic situation even to accomplish that. She was declared eligible for admission in 2018 and 2019, but due to financial crunch she couldn’t get admitted. Through a privately owned TV channel, Marufa’s plight reached the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and finally, last year she got admitted into BKSP with the BCB’s aid.
After tasting success in the Premier League, Marufa is now aiming higher, “I follow Jahanara (Alam) apu in my bowling. My aim was to take more wickets than her, I achieved that. Now, I dream of leading the bowling attack of the national team.”
When asked who she tries to emulate from men’s cricket, Marufa was quick to answer – Mustafizur Rahman.
Marufa hails from a farming family of Nilphamari’s Saidpur Upazila’s Dhelapir area. Her father Aimullah, a lease farmer, struggles to feed their family of six.
In a family like this, it’s natural that the father would want his daughter to help him in farm work, take care of cattle, and collect fodder for the cattle and do other such chores. Marufa performed these duties while simultaneously playing football for her school. She also played cricket in her locality with her two brothers.
After enrolling in class six, Marufa told her parents that she wants to go to Saidpur with Najmul Huda, an uncle from her neighbourhood, to train with the cricket ball under coach Imran. Both her parents expressed stern objection. But she ignored their objections and came into the BKSP’s attention through a talent hunt camp in 2018.
Despite failing to get admitted for aforementioned financial crunch in that year, she got called up to the Khulna divisional team. In 2019, she earned a place in the national Under-19 team camp.
After the age-level camp got suspended due to Covid-19, she returned home and began helping her father on the fields, again.
Marufa believes, that experience of hard work paid off for her, “I can put in a lot of hard work, that’s because of doing agriculture work. Even now, when I go home, I help plough the lands, level the ground,” Marufa said at the BKSP ground.
Marufa already realises that her family’s responsibility is on her shoulders. BKSP coach Fatema Tuj Zohra also has big dreams for her diligent and determined disciple, “She already thinks about playing well and taking up the responsibility for her family. This is a very positive sign.”
Fatema also spoke about the strength of Marufa’s bowling, “This girl is naturally strong. She can bowl fast. She has learned to combine swing with her pace. Her in-swingers are excellent. If she learns how to handle the pressure of a match, she can serve the national team for a long time.”
Till now, Marufa’s thoughts revolved around the forthcoming inaugural edition of the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. But after getting called up for the national team, her thoughts and aims have got wings to fly even higher.
For her, sky is always the limit.