Bangladesh Women’s captain Nigar Sultana expressed her disappointment at not being able to participate in the T20 Women’s World Cup 2024 at home because of the latest move to the United Arab Emirates, which will rob them of the opportunity to represent their country proudly in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Due to travel restrictions imposed by several nations during the political unrest in the subcontinental nation, the International Cricket Council recently agreed to relocate the World Cup from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates. At the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Nigar spoke to reporters about the recent development.
“To be completely honest, I was deeply upset. I had many dreams, and I know that all the players felt the same way, as our families—friends, supporters, and other loved ones—were just as excited as we were to play in our nation during the World Cup,” the player stated.
“They were getting ready for this World Cup in different ways. In my opinion as a player, I lost out on the opportunity to represent my country with pride by competing in the World Cup in front of home fans. We don’t get to earn that pride,” she continued.
As an ex-player himself, Nigar expressed her excitement at the election of a cricketer to lead the Bangladesh Cricket Board, believing Faruque Ahmed to be a knowledgeable and understanding representative of the sport’s requirements.
As the first BCB president to participate in competitive cricket, Faruque played seven One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for Bangladesh between 1988 and 1999. He also spent two stints as BCB’s chief selector. Since he is aware of our needs, I believe the players will benefit from it, and for that, I am grateful, “said Nigar.
“Well, it will take some time because we will only fully appreciate how beneficial he is to us and what will likely happen once he starts working. He knows the challenges we typically confront because he played cricket. He was a selector in the past and had previously worked in women’s selection. The woman stated that I had just joined the camp and wasn’t a significant player at the time, so it’s possible he didn’t remember me from that period.
“He has the experience, and the cricketers will mostly embrace those who will work for their advantage. Since they have played the game, they know what is needed because only an international cricket player can genuinely understand what is required of them and what kind of preparation is best for them to perform at the highest level. Therefore, it is best for those active in cricket to volunteer to work for the players.
