Bangladesh have announced their squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, naming just two fast bowlers for the tournament that will be played in England. The squad features just two fast bowlers in Marufa Akhter and Fariha Islam, with the chief selector Sazzad Ahmed admitting the lack of speedsters in the country.
“The pace bowlers pipeline in Bangladesh is very narrow, and at important moments they fall into injuries. Though England wickets are expected to be pace-friendly, the behaviour of the wickets in the recent past suggests that it is assisting the spinners like the sub-continent, where the ball spins a lot. So taking the conditions into consideration, we have kept our faith in spinners, and we must accept there are not many pacers in our pipeline,” Ahmed told the media while announcing the squad for the World Cup that begins on June 12.ย
Nigar Sultana to lead, Nehar back
The squad will be led by Nigar Sultana Joty, with Nahida Akter as the vice-captain. Top-order batter Taj Nehar is back in the squad as Sharmin Sultana misses out. Speaking on Nehar’s inclusion in place of Sharmin, Ahmed said, “Sharmin Sultana was originally considered for the ODI format. On the other hand, Taj Nehar is a versatile player who can bat anywhere from No.1 to 6 and we believe that Taj Nehar can play an effective role in solving the team’s problem of scoring runs, especially in the last 5 overs of the innings.”
The chief selector stated that the defensive batting approach is a worry, and the team wants to change it. “Yes, the defensive batting approach is currently a major concern for the team. While it is not possible to change it overnight, the selectors are working on solving this problem,” he said, adding that Nigar Sultana is still playing by managing her injuries.
“Joty has the ability to dominate world-class opponents, but she has been dealing with injuries for a long time. Had it not been for this injury, she could have gone to a much higher level,” he added.
Bangladesh squad for Women’s T20 World Cup
Nigar Sultana Joty (Captain), Nahida Akter (Vice-Captain), Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Taj Nehar