Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter is shining at the Women's World Cup 2025, leading her team's bowling. From a poor farming family and social exclusion, she overcame hardships to rise from being ignored to an admired young star in international cricket.

Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter is among the players in the spotlight in the ongoing Women's ODI World Cup 2025. Marufa Akter, a 20-year-old hailing from Nilphamari, caught the attention of the cricketing world when she rattled Pakistan's top order by dismissing Omaima Sohail and Sidra Amin for ducks in Bangladesh's seven-wicket win at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 2.

The Bangladesh pacer's performance against Pakistan put her on the map as a promising young talent to keep an eye on in the Women's World Cup 2025. In the next two matches against England and New Zealand, Marufa Akter picked three wickets and scalped a total of five wickets, making her the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in the marquee event.

At the age of 20, Marufa Akter is leading Bangladesh's pace attack in the ongoing Women's World Cup 2025. With her brilliant bowling performance on the global stage, Marufa has already earned her recognition as one of the rising stars in women's cricket, but her journey to this stage has not been easy at all for the young Bangladesh pacer.

Marufa Akter has faced hardships at a young age, as she comes from a poor family, with her father being a farmer. Coming from a modest farming family, Marufa faced social exclusion due to financial constraints. Speaking in an ICC interview ahead of the New Zealand clash, Marufa Akter recalled how her family was not invited by relatives as they could not afford good clothes.

“They wouldn't invite us to various gatherings, saying we didn't have proper clothes. If we go there, we'll lose our respect - that's what they used to say (tears). There was a time when we couldn't even afford new clothes for Eid (tears),” the 20-year-old pacer said.

“My father is a farmer. We didn't have much money, and even the people in the village where I grew up weren't very supportive,” she added.

The Story Of Marufa Akter's Cricket Journey! twitter/PcM7tpkjV6

- Md Maruf Hossain.... (@MdMaruf59228385) October 11, 2025

Marufa Akter has gone through financial hardships and societal challenges, but her passion for cricket remained unwavering and determined to pursue her dream. His passion for the sport led her to join Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP), one of the country's premier sports institutes, in 2018. Her joining at BKSP paved her way for national recognition, professional coaching, and the chance to compete at higher levels, including local and domestic tournaments, before moving to the national level.

During the peak of COVID-19, when everything was shut down and training opportunities were limited, Marufa helped her father, Aimullah, with agricultural work on leased lands to support her family. During that period, Marufa attended a training camp at Cox Bazaar, where she received her first cricket earnings of $412.

After performing well in domestic tournaments, Marufa received her maiden call-up for Bangladesh's ODI and T20I series against New Zealand in November 2022. In January 2023, the young pacer from Nilphamari participated in the U19 Women's World Cup, and that's where her steady rise to international cricket began.

In the 2023 U19 Women's World Cup, Marufa Akter was Bangladesh's highest wicket-taker, taking 8 wickets at an average of 12.12 and an economy rate of 4.89 in five matches. Later that year, she played in the T20 World Cup in South Africa, where she again emerged as Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker with four wickets in as many matches. She was also part of the Bangladesh team that won the Bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games.

The steady rise of Marufa Akter has not only earned her recognition but also admiration from those who once ignored or underestimated her because of her family's poverty. Akter says she feels awe seeing people now admire her performances on TV.

“Actually, the position we are in now-others aren't quite there. The way I support my family, perhaps many boys can't do the same. That gives me a special kind of peace,” Akter said in an ICC interview.

“As a child, I used to wonder when people would look at us with admiration and applaud. Now, when I see myself on TV, I feel shy (laughs),” she added.

Despite obstacles and financial difficulties, Marufa Akter's determination and unwavering love for cricket led her to become one of Bangladesh's most promising young pacers, earning her respect and admiration, and recognition at the global level with her performance in the Women's World Cup 2025.

Marufa Akter will look to continue to deliver her best in the upcoming matches of the marquee event as Bangladesh fight for a spot in the semifinal after suffering three successive losses against New Zealand, England, and South Africa, aiming to inspire her team and cement her status as a rising star.

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