In order to set the tone for the remainder of the women’s T20 World Cup, Nigar Sultana wants Bangladesh to defeat Scotland in their opening encounter on October 3. She stated that beating Scotland would be a “huge achievement” because Bangladesh has only won one game in five World Cups and hasn’t won a match in their previous four trips.
However, Sultana made it clear that Bangladesh was not treating Scotland lightly. She declared, “We want to win the first match.” It will be a significant accomplishment for the group. When it occurs, the team will get into a flow. Then, we might envision something greater. We yearn for it with famine.
However, Scotland is playing excellent cricket. Typically, teams bring high expectations to the World Cup. They won’t give you an easy victory. They don’t surrender without a struggle. We are mentally equipped to take on those obstacles.
“We have never won a game in the four World Cups that I have participated in. We haven’t won since the 2014 competition [against Sri Lanka]. Although we have performed well in past competitions, performance is only meaningful when it results in victory.”
Bangladesh and Sultana have lofty aspirations. In order to get to the semi-finals, they intend to face the other teams in their group, which include South Africa, England, and the West Indies.
“To play in the semi-final, we have to win against those three teams, too,” Sultana stated. “We have distinct strategies for every squad we play. It will work in our favour if we can carry out our plan. In Twenty20 Internationals, we have beaten South Africa twice out of 13 encounters. It could be challenging for England as well, as we only really get to play them during World Cups. Everyone is aware of our potent spin attack.
The ICC moved the event to the UAE from Bangladesh, where it was originally scheduled to take place, due to political upheaval in the nation in July and August.
“For a long time, we prepared with the understanding that the World Cup will be held at home,” Sultana stated. “There is no longer any purpose in worrying about it because it is beyond our control. In 2021, we played in Abu Dhabi, and the wickets were good. We will play two practice matches to get a feel for the new venue, which is Sharjah.
“Other teams will face similar challenges, so the faster we can adapt to those challenges, it will help us play better in the tournament’s main matches.”
expressing worry for Bangladesh
Bangladesh lost to India and Sri Lanka at the women’s Asia Cup earlier this year, and they haven’t performed well at the bat in their past two home series against Australia and India.
However, debutants like Taj Nehar, who was chosen over the more seasoned Rumana Ahmed, and Shathi Rani are giving Sultana confidence.
“Batting is definitely a concern but we saw some improvements among the batters during the ‘A’ team tour [of Sri Lanka],” she stated. “Since the majority of our players have performed well in domestic competitions, we continue to think that we can succeed. In the World Cup, I hope they maintain their current form.
Taj is our middle-order candidate, despite her lack of experience. We observed her in the Women’s National Cricket League, where she demonstrated a positive attitude and sincerity. She’s got the big shot play. If you’ve been watching our recent international games, you know that our intent was not demonstrated. The league’s top run scorer was Shathi. She has the ability to chase the ball, as evidenced by some of her innings. She’s quite good at using the powerplay. At this point, she has demonstrated her abilities.”
Legspinner Rabeya Khan, 19, and left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, 19, make up Bangladesh’s potent spin assault. Sultana gave little Rabeya, who has taken the most wickets for the squad in T20Is this season (14 in 12 games), a heartfelt tribute. “One of our best bowlers is Rabeya. Her efforts in both formats have elevated our squad to a new level. She’s an excellent fielder.
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Although she does not take batting seriously, she is also a good batsman. She is developing gradually. After Nahida, Rabeya is the person I trust the most with the ball in difficult circumstances.”
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