The Bangladesh national women’s cricket team has returned home after completing their ICC Women’s ODI World Cup campaign in India. Although there was some disappointment over their overall performance, captain Nigar Sultana Joty expressed hope for improvement in the future.
The team travelled to India dreaming of achieving something special. Before departing, Bangladesh had targeted at least two wins, but they managed to secure only one victory, finishing seventh among eight teams.
A win against Pakistan in the opening match raised expectations, but the Tigresses failed to register another victory. Despite showing promise against England and South Africa, they could not finish the job. The match against Sri Lanka also ended in frustration as the batters fell short in the final moments. Captain Nigar Sultana Joty did not hide her disappointment.
“We had the chance to win several matches, not just two. But we failed to grab those opportunities. As a team, that is our failure,” said Joty.
Bangladesh’s biggest struggles came with the bat. Sharmin Akter Supta was the team’s top scorer with 212 runs, placing her tenth among all batters in the tournament. Five different players registered fifties, yet Bangladesh played 66.6 percent dot balls, the second highest rate in the competition. Their strike rate was also the second lowest among the eight teams. Joty admitted her own form had affected the side’s performance.
“My off-form probably hurt the team the most. When others build good scores, I like to play differently. I could not contribute the way I wanted. There are still some shortcomings within the team,” she said.
Bangladesh’s bowling unit, however, showed more promise. Marufa Akter’s impressive spell against Pakistan drew widespread praise. The team finished the league stage with the second-best economy rate and bowled 23 maiden overs, just two fewer than Australia. However, in terms of wickets taken, Bangladesh ranked seventh.
“We needed to play in a more mature way. If we had done that, we would not be returning early, we could have stayed in contention. To overcome this, we need more growth, especially mental growth. Our preparation for the next World Cup should start soon,” Joty added.
Bangladesh had last played competitive cricket in April during the World Cup qualifiers in Pakistan. Before the tournament, they did not play any international matches, and since early 2024, they have faced only Australia among the top teams. The players now recognise the importance of playing more international series ahead of future tournaments.
