Bangladesh batter Sobhana Mostary believes the Tigresses are determined to correct their mistakes and approach their upcoming clash against Australia with renewed focus and confidence. Speaking ahead of their Women’s World Cup game on Thursday, October 16, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, Mostary emphasized the importance of learning from the team’s recent setbacks and channeling their energy positively.
The Tigresses enter the match following a three-wicket defeat against South Africa, where fielding errors proved costly. Despite reducing the Proteas to 78 for five, Bangladesh’s momentum slipped after a series of dropped catches, Nahida Akter missed Laura Wolvaardt early, followed by Sumaiya Akter’s drop of Chloe Tryon and Shorna Akter’s crucial miss off Nadine de Klerk, who went on to finish the chase in South Africa’s favor.
“Yes, from the very beginning, whenever we come up against big teams, we focus on how to fight them and also discuss their strong points. In the last match, our batting and bowling were perhaps good, but we made a few mistakes in the fielding. We have discussed those and will practice on them,” said Mostary in the pre-match press conference.
“We will play against the Australian team. We already have experience playing against them, so we will focus on our strengths and also work on the areas where we are lacking,” she added.
Following the defeat to South Africa, emotions ran high in the Bangladesh camp, with several players breaking down after the close contest. Mostary shared how the team regrouped quickly with the help of their seniors and management.
“The youngsters, who were in tears after the last match on the field and in the dressing room, were actually boosted immediately by the seniors and management. We all sat together and discussed that such things can happen in a match, and there’s no need to break down. There are more matches ahead. We are taking care that the outcome of this match does not affect the upcoming games,” she said.
Bangladesh started their World Cup campaign with a win over Pakistan but have since endured three consecutive losses to England, South Africa, and New Zealand. They currently sit sixth on the table with two points and a net run rate of -0.263.
For Mostary, every game is a learning opportunity for a relatively young Bangladesh side that continues to evolve through exposure to stronger teams.
“If you look at the last four years, it’s basically the same team we have played with… young players don’t overthink things; they try to give their best,” she said. “They just play using their strengths.”
Despite the results, Bangladesh have shown resilience in key phases, especially against England and South Africa, where moments of brilliance were often overshadowed by inexperience.
“After yesterday’s match, there was no negative talk. Everyone, senior players, juniors, management, spoke about positive things: our batting, the last ten overs in batting, our bowling. Everyone discussed our positives. So maybe we receive it positively and think positively. This will help us in the next matches against Australia, India, and also Sri Lanka,” said Mostary.
Mostary also praised Shorna Akter for her fearless approach in the lower order, highlighting the management’s encouragement for players to express themselves freely.
“Shorna batted at number 5, she always tries to hit fours and sixes and tries to rotate the strike, and so yesterday she was confident and hit those crucial sixes. Shorna plays this type of cricket. The captain and management encourage her to play like this itself,” she noted.
When asked about the team’s performance and its impact in Bangladesh, where women’s cricket continues to develop, Mostary expressed pride in how their fighting spirit is being recognized nationally.
“Our president is quite impressed and satisfied with our performances and team unity. Playing lastly with England and South Africa, we played so close. There were some issues, but taking everything positively,” she said.
As Bangladesh prepares to face Australia, one of the tournament’s strongest sides, Sobhana Mostary’s message is clear – the Tigresses are focused on progress, positivity, and perseverance.
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