NEWS
Follow UsThe Women's T20 World Cup 2024 was recently shifted to the UAE following the unrest in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Women captain Nigar Sultana has, in the wake of the same, expressed disappointment in not being able to play the showpiece event at home. The tournament was moved to the UAE as the governments of many participating countries had issued a travel advisory against travelling to Bangladesh.
"For the last two days, I was really sad, and today I seemed a bit free because a lot of people tried to make me understand [the switch] in different ways," Sultana told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
"To be honest, I was really hurt, and that from the core of my heart. I had a lot of dreams, and not only me it was the same for all the players because it is not only us who were waiting to play the World Cup in our country, but along with us our family also waited for it, like our friends, fans or our close ones.
"They were preparing in a different way for this World Cup. As a player what I feel is that I missed the chance of having the pride of playing the World Cup in front of the home crowd. We are deprived of earning that pride."
Sultana is also happy to see that a cricketer has been named as the new president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). After Nazmul Hassan stepped down as president, Faruque Ahmed, who has played seven One-Day Internationals (ODI) for Bangladesh, was selected as a replacement. Sultana believes Ahmed's experience on the field would certainly help the cricketers.
"I think as he is elected as the board president certainly those who were there had taken his experience into consideration. I think it will be helpful for the players as he knows what we need, and for that I am happy," Sultana said.
"Look, it will take some time because when he will start working can we understand how good he is for us and what is likely to happen. Because he played cricket so I can say that he is well aware what the obstacles are that we usually face. Earlier, he worked as a selector, and a long time ago, he was also in women's selection, at that point, I was in the camp for the first time and not as an important player, so he might not remember me from that time.
"He has the experience, and more or less the people who will work for the benefit of cricketers they will be welcomed by the cricketers. They have played cricket and they are aware of what is required because there are certain needs of an international cricketer and what kind of preparation can help a cricketer perform at international level, [those things] no one will know better than a cricketer himself.
"So, definitely, who are involved in cricket if they come forward to work for the cricketers, it is all the better."
Bangladesh have been drawn in Group B in the Women's T20 World Cup along with England, Scotland, West Indies, and South Africa. They will take on Scotland in their opening match on October 3.
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