Bangladesh latest pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman became the first Bangladeshi player to win an ICC award as he was named the Emerging Player of the Year by the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday. In the period under consideration, Mustafizur played three ODIs and took eight wickets, while he yielded 19 wickets in 10 T20Is, said an ICC press release.
“This award is the best gift of the year for me and will encourage me to do even better in the coming years. I’m delighted and proud to win this award, especially since it’s the first time that a Bangladesh player has won an ICC award. Earlier, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan were nominated by the ICC for the same award.
“To play international cricket is the dream for every budding cricketer and it has indeed been a dream come true for me too. I want to thank everyone who has supported me over the years and promise to give my best at every opportunity.”  Mustafizur got the news when he was playing the practice game against New Zealand XI. In the match he took two wickets for 39 runs. He made a bustling start to the international cricket by demolishing a much-vaunted Indian batting line up and helped the side win the first ever bilateral ODI series against India with 13 wickets in three matches including a five-for and six-for in the first two matches. Earlier he made a prolific start to the T20 International with two for 20 against Pakistan to help the side win the match, their first ever T20 victory against Pakistan. Overall he took 52 wickets in 24 matches across the format since his debut.