The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed that Nigar Sultana Joty will remain Bangladesh’s ODI captain for the tour of Australia. Bangladesh are scheduled to play three ODIs against Australia. Her position had come under discussion after she stepped down as T20I captain midway through the Asian Games, a decision that had caught the BCB by surprise.
Joty has led Bangladesh in ODI cricket since 2021 and will continue in charge for the Australia series. BCB president Tamim Iqbal and women’s wing chairman Rafiqul Islam Babu met the women cricketers at the BCB headquarters on Monday, September 28. After the meeting, Rafiqul gave a clear update on Joty’s future.
Rafiqul confirmed that Joty would travel to Australia as the ODI captain. “I announced it today (during the meeting) that ‘you (Joty) are remaining as the captain and will go to Australia as captain’,” he told reporters after the meeting. The statement ended the uncertainty around the captaincy before Bangladesh’s three-match ODI series against Australia.
The question over Joty’s ODI role came after she chose to leave the T20I captaincy during the Asian Games. She stepped down midway through the tournament, which surprised the board and led to questions about whether the BCB might also make a change in ODI leadership. However, the board has now made it clear that Joty will continue in the format she has led since 2021.
The meeting also included discussion about senior coach Sarwar Imran and his recent remarks. Rafiqul said the BCB would not issue Imran a show-cause notice, although the board considered his comments inappropriate. Imran had criticised the board after Bangladesh’s Asian Games campaign, including the captaincy and coaching situation, after the team missed out on a bronze medal.
Rafiqul said Imran’s comments went beyond what was expected under the code of conduct. “Our coach made some indiscreet comments that nobody wanted to hear. I think he went somewhat beyond the code of conduct in making those comments. Since he is under contract with the BCB, he cannot really make such comments. He has already said it, and that is very unfortunate,” Rafiqul said.
Even though the BCB was unhappy with the comments, no show-cause notice has been issued to Imran. Rafiqul explained that Imran is a senior coach working under the cricket board and said the board did not expect such remarks from him. He also said in the media that Imran had made a mistake and described it as a serious mistake.
“We have not issued any show-cause notice yet. He is a very senior coach, and we did not expect this from him. Among the senior coaches working under the cricket board, he is one of them. So, we did not expect this from him. I said in the media that he made a mistake, a serious mistake,” he said.
With the BCB confirming Joty’s continuation, Bangladesh will enter their Australia tour with the ODI leadership settled. The team is scheduled to play three ODIs against Australia, and Joty will remain at the helm for the series. Her position is now clear after the uncertainty that followed her decision to leave the T20I captaincy during the Asian Games.
The BCB has also made its position clear on the matter involving Imran, choosing not to issue a show-cause notice despite describing his comments as inappropriate. For Bangladesh, the focus can now move towards the Australia tour, with Joty continuing as ODI captain. She has held the role since 2021 and will lead the side into the three-match series.
Loves all things female cricket