Nigar Sultana has decided to step down as captain of the Bangladesh women’s T20 team. She herself confirmed the matter in a text message from Japan. The wicketkeeper-batter said she had also informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of her decision.
Nigar has led Bangladesh in 80 of the national team’s 120 T20 matches. She had been leading the national side in the shorter format since 2022. Under her captaincy, Bangladesh secured a historic win over Scotland at the 2024 T20 World Cup, their first-ever victory in the tournament.
However, things have not been going well for captain Nigar in recent times. Bangladesh were knocked out in the semi-finals of the most recent Asia Cup. The captain herself also struggled for runs throughout the tournament, scoring just 56 runs in four matches.
After completing the Asia Cup campaign in Dubai, Nigar is now with the team in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, with the Asian Games as their target. It was from Japan that she informed the BCB of her decision to step down.
When contacted about the matter, Rafiqul Islam, head of the BCB women’s wing, initially said he was unaware of it. A short while later, however, he confirmed that he had received Nigar’s message. In her letter, Nigar said she had decided to step down as captain in the shorter format so that she could focus fully on her batting.
The BCB has not yet decided whether to accept her resignation. Rafiqul Islam said, “She will remain in charge until the Asian Games. She will also continue as captain in ODIs. Once they return from the Asian Games, we will sit down and take a final decision on the matter.”
Copyright © 2024 Prothom Alo. All Rights Reserved.
