Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 15-member squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup on Wednesday when experienced allrounder Rumana Ahmed was dropped in one of five changes in the team.
There was a surprise of call-up of uncapped 26-year-old Taj Nehar, a top-order batter.
Despite not having any experience of playing international matches, she is in the World Cup squad. She was included in the squad due to her performances in domestic cricket and for the ‘A’ team.
Among the selected players, Sobhana Mostary, Shathi Rani, Fahima Khatun and Disha Biswas made their return when allrounder Biswas, who played in the Under-19, T20 World Cup in January-February 2023, was also picked for the senior T20 World Cup last year, although she is yet to make her national team’s debut.
Fahima, the experienced 32-year-old legspinner, has played 84 T20Is so far, 20 of which have come across the five T20 World Cups since 2014. However, she had lost her place in the squad recently when she struggled against India and Australia at home ground. After missing the Asia Cup, Fahima drew attention of the selectors perofrming in the domestic cricket with taking six wickets in as many matches in the Women's National T20 Cricket League (NCL).
Meanwhile, opening batter Rani was the leading run-scorer with 284 runs at a strike rate of 151.06 in the NCL. Veteran batter Rumana, who played 87 T20Is, missed out when she scored just 55 runs in three innings at the NCL. But middle-order batter Mostary despite having tough time against India and Australia, and also in the NCL, was considred in the squad, as the chief selector Sajjad Ahmed said that he put her selection due to a lack of options at No. 3.
The T20 Women’s World Cup tournament was initially scheduled to be held in Bangladesh but due to the political unrest and travel advisories of a few participating nations, the event was moved to UAE. But the BCB will maintain its hosting rights.
Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (capt), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Dilara Akter, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Fahima Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Shorna Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani and Disha Biswas.
