Bangladesh women’s cricket team captain Nigar Sultana Jyoti has broken her silence after pace bowler Jahanara Alam made serious allegations against her in a recent media interview. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier dismissed Jahanara’s claims as false, and Jyoti has now responded publicly, rejecting the accusations and criticising the negativity surrounding the team.
Jahanara had accused Jyoti of disrespecting senior players and even physically assaulting junior teammates. In a post on her official Facebook account, Jyoti did not name anyone but wrote, “Staying silent does not mean I cannot speak or have nothing to say. This team belongs to all of us. When the team is going through its best phase, there are so many negative statements, personal grudges, and aggressive comments being made.”
She also suggested that some of the criticism was coming from those who were no longer part of the team. “It surprises me that those who once loved and protected this team, who helped it reach a certain level and experienced both success and failure, are now speaking against it. When someone is dropped or goes out of form and another takes their place, suddenly everything about the team becomes bad, including the people and the environment,” Jyoti wrote.
The Bangladesh captain also thanked those who continued to support the team. “Respect goes to those who have faith in this team and its members. Spreading rumours may bring temporary attention, but it will not have any lasting effect,” she said.
Earlier, the BCB issued a statement rejecting Jahanara’s allegations, saying, “The Bangladesh Cricket Board strongly refutes all allegations made against the current national team captain, players, officials, and management, terming them completely baseless, fabricated, and false. The board believes such misleading statements are unfortunate, especially at a time when the women’s team has shown commendable progress and unity on the international stage.”
The controversy emerged soon after Bangladesh returned home from the Women’s World Cup, where Jyoti’s side managed only one win in seven matches and finished seventh out of eight teams.
