‘My target’s a secret’

Bangladesh women's team pacer Marufa Akter was confident that her team can carry the momentum from the comprehensive win over Ireland in the first WODI and seal the three-match series in the second game, set to take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

The Tigresses made two records in the first ODI on Wednesday – first putting up their highest ever total in one-dayers, 252-4, thanks to a brilliant 89-ball 96 from Sharmin Akhter and then sealed their biggest ever win in the 50-over format in terms of runs, 154, by bowling out the visitors for a mere 98.

Marufa was required to bowl only four overs in the match, in which she picked up two wickets for 18 runs.

The 19-year-old pacer was glad with the victory and was confident that they can win the second game and win the series with one match in hand.

"We won the first match with full confidence. Inshallah, we will win the second match as well and that's how we will win the series," Marufa said in a video sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today.

"They [Ireland] would definitely try to comeback in the series. We need to put extra focus on batting, bowling and fielding," she added.

Marufa was the team's lone pacer in the match as the management went with a spin-heavy attack, a ploy that paid dividends with spinners Sultana Khatun and Nahida Akter taking three wickets each.

The team management is likely to continue with the same ploy in the second match as well which would mean that Marufa would remain as the team's only fast bowling option.

"It would definitely have felt better [to have another pacer to form a pace bowling partnership]. But as Mirpur is a spinning wicket, the team management is picking the team they feel will do the best. Alhamdulillah, everything is going well," said the pacer.

Marufa claimed more than one wicket in an ODI after a gap of eight matches in the first ODI against Ireland. When asked what she planned to do in the second ODI, the youngster preferred to keep it confidential, saying, "My target's a secret".