TIGRESSES ROAR – Bangladesh ready to seize opportunities.

As Bangladesh prepare for their seventh appearance at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, they find themselves in formidable company. 

Alice Jackson speaks to skipper Nigar Sultana Joty to discuss her World Cup memories, the evolution of the women’s game in her country, and why she believes this Bangladesh side will seize every opportunity at cricket’s most iconic venues. 

Drawn alongside India, Australia and South Africa, progress beyond the group stage would represent a significant breakthrough for a side that has never reached the knockout rounds of the tournament.

But if there’s anyone equipped to lead that charge, it’s Nigar Sultana Joty. The Rajshahi-born wicketkeeper-batter will be appearing at her sixth T20 World Cup and her third as captain. 

As Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals, Joty has become a defining figure in the growth of the women’s game in her country and has been at the heart of some of the team’s most significant milestones.

The Tigresses arrive in England buoyed by the confidence gained from ending a 10-year wait for a World Cup victory when they defeated Scotland in 2024, and from recent performances – including victory over the Netherlands in the qualifying rounds. 

What does the T20 World Cup mean to you?

It means a lot to us, and it’s really important for the women’s game in Bangladesh. 

We don’t get much exposure, so it’s a great opportunity to show what we can do in front of the whole world. 

As a team we’re doing well, but we need to be amongst the world’s best.  

What’s your first memory of the T20 World Cup?

There are lots of memories, but if I had to pick one, then it would be when I played my first T20 World Cup in India in 2016. 

I played my first game against England and scored 32 runs, which was the highest in that particular game from our side. 

I look up to Sarah Taylor – she was a player we all admired – so playing against her was a dream for me. 

I was watching her when I was wicket-keeping and she was batting in front of me, I just couldn’t believe it!

How do you feel about the T20 format compared to other formats of the game? 

We’ve been playing T20 well, but in the last series against Sri Lanka we didn’t get a single win. 

There’s a lot of learning to be had from that but there’s a few players who have been very consistent, and T20 is their strength.

So I just hope they will do the same for the team in the World Cup. 

You never know what will happen in T20, and every day will be important. 

In the last T20 World Cup, we played really good cricket but we were only able to win one game. 

What are your chances this time – which opponents are you most looking forward to facing?

We have a good chance against the Netherlands, seeing as we just beat them in the qualifiers, and we also have experience against Pakistan and India. 

We have the opportunity to win two or three games, and we aim to go to the knockout stages for sure, but it’s also very important for us to just remain calm and be present. 

If we are able to give 100% on that particular day, we can beat anyone. 

Our recent Sri Lanka matches were an eye opener for us. 

Before the T20 World Cup we wanted to try all the combinations we could. Somehow, in the middle we couldn’t capitalise – we’ve talked about it and are already working on it. 

How do you feel about playing in big, iconic cricket grounds? What do you think the atmosphere will be like?

Our players are so excited, and really want to play quality cricket at those venues to maximise the experience. 

Every country’s players want to play at Lord’s.

One thing I would say is that we’d never played in those conditions, but we had a tri-nation series in Scotland which was a good test. 

We’ve played against Scotland and the Netherlands, so that will give us some knowledge about pitch conditions. 

How would you describe your nation’s progress since the last T20 World Cup?

We’ve improved a lot, and while we might not have as much T20 experience as others, our players have been practising and are showing a good strike rate in this format. 

It’s a very tricky format, I must say, but we do have the potential to do really well. 

Who are ⁠your young players and emerging stars we should look out for?

Marufa Akter has been a very consistent player and is very dangerous with a new ball. 

Shorna Akter is also a brilliant all-rounder and has been fantastic in the last few months. 

The youngsters must learn a lot from you – do you ever take lessons from them? 

Definitely, each day we can teach each other, right? 

They are very enthusiastic on the field, and can be quite creative in training. 

The energy they bring has helped grow our team as a unit. 

Why should people unfamiliar with women’s cricket come to watch the T20 World Cup – this is your chance to sell it!

I think nowadays people are more interested in the shorter format, which is great for getting people engaged – it’s the best way to see women’s cricket.

It has an intense vibe which attracts people. 

Women’s cricket all over the world is getting that hype, and to have people actually recognising us as players now is really motivating. 

Photos: ICC, Clare McEwen

Bangladesh T20 WWC fixtures:

Sunday June 14 10.30 v Netherlands, Edgbaston

Wednesday 17th June 10:30 v Australia, Headingley

Saturday 20th June 14:30 v Pakistan, Hampshire Bowl

Thursday 25th June 14:30 v India, Old Trafford

Sunday 28th June 10.30 v South Africa, Lord’s

All matches live on Sky Sports.

For full fixture and where to watch details, check out our tournament preview.
New to T20 cricket? Check out our quick start guide.
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