The 21-year-old left-handed batsman not only notched the Best Batsman Award from the Bangladesh Cricket Board ahead of his senior colleagues and more illustrated Habibul Bashar and Mohammad Ashraful, but also bagged the Cricketer of the Year award beating the other nominees, again the Tigers skipper Bashar and Abdur Razzak.

When the final award was announced at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre, Nafees became the fourth southpaw to be rewarded on the night. Having taken the blessings of his parents, he walked on to the podium with his head high to give final touch to an otherwise dazzling night, graced by the presence of past and present day cricketers, distinguished guests and lively music performed by country's pop icon Azam Khan, popular band Souls and singers Kumar Bishwajit and Kanak Chapa.

Chief guest State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman, BCB president Ali Asghar, the BCB high-ups and the board's sponsoring partner GrameenPhone's CEO Erik Aas spoke on the occasion.

A panel of former cricketers and BCB officials voted for the cricketers' awards while a jury of neutral members without any official affiliation with cricket chose the media awardees.

The names of the winners, which were delivered in sealed envelopes by the judges, were opened at the BCB office in Gulshan on Wednesday afternoon in presence of the convener of the Bangladesh Cricket Awards 2005-06, the BCB CEO and the Managing Editor of The Daily Star Syed Fahim Munaim.

Nafees, who made his one-day international debut in June 2005 against England at Nottingham, has so far proved consistent, having scored 787 runs in 25 matches at an average of 32.79. The opener has hit five fifties and one century -- against Zimbabwe in his fifth appearance. His Test record since debuting in September the same year against Sri Lanka in Colombo also looks considerably healthy with 402 runs including one hundred -- against mighty Australia -- and two half-centuries from six matches, giving him an average of 33.50. "This is the first step on way to reach my ambition. I want to play for the country for at least eight to ten years and I want to carry on my form and play as best as I can," said Nafees in his brief speech after taking the award.

"I also dedicate this success to my coach Wahidul Ghani, without whose guidance I would have not come this far," he added.

The other man who dominated the show was Mohammad Rafique who pocketed the Best Bowler and best All-Rounder awards.

A nonchalant Rafique told the audience that 'luck' played behind his accomplishment. "To win something you need luck and that's why I am here to take two trophies," the ace left-arm spinner and an explosive batsman on his day said in his reaction.

Rafique's performance in the last year saw him grab 19 and 27 wickets in ODIs and Tests respectively in addition to 285 Test runs and 189 runs in the shorter version of the game.

The other nominees in the two categories were fast bowler Mashrafee Bin Mortuza and Razzak (Best Bowler) and Aftab Ahmed and Mashrafee Bin Mortuza (Best All-Rounder).

Rafique, along with wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud, was also honoured for their 100 ODI appearances during the last season.

Rookie all-rounder Sakib Al Hasan, who edged Forhad Reza and Mushfiqur Rahim to win the Emerging Cricketer's award, said that it would be his inspiration for becoming a regular face on the national team.

Young Tiger of the Year Mehrab Hossain Jr, who won ahead of Nazmus Sadat and Nadif Chowdhury, dedicated the award to former national captain Khaled Mahmud Sujan.

"Young players like us have a lot to learn from a fighter like Sujan bhai. His interest and inspiration have driven many of us including me to come this far. I am grateful to him," said Mehrab, not only expected to make his international debut during next month's ICC Champions Trophy in India but also billed to solve the everlasting problem in the opening slot.

Cricketer-turned-umpire Nadir Shah took the Best Umpire's award while the awards for journalists went to the New Age's Azad Majumder (print media), ntv's Khairul Amin Tuhin (electronic media) and Daily Janakantha's Mir Farid (photo journalist).

Apart from giving the Lifetime Achievement Award to Bangladesh speedster late Daulatuzzaman, the Bangladesh Cricket Board also honoured the contribution of Liberation War martyrs Shaheed Jewel and Shaheed Mushtaque.