On November 4, the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced that wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana will captain Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021 that will be played from November 21 to December 5 in Zimbabwe.
A total of 10 teams, namely, Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, United States and Netherland, will be participating in the tournament. Bangladesh is in Group B with Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Thailand and the United States. 29 matches will be played in the competition.
The top three teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six stage and from the Super Six, top three teams will qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 scheduled to be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.
Wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana will lead Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021.#CWCQualifiers #CWC22 #BangladeshCricket pic.twitter.com/vrSjrbJweW
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 5, 2021
Bangladesh squad for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021:
Nigar Sultana Joty (Captain), Murshida Khatun, Nuzhat Tasnia, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Rumana Ahmed, Mst Ritu Moni, Nahida Akter, Salma Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Lata Mondol, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Khadiza-Tul Kubra, Shanjida Akther Maghla
Murshida Khatun, Nuzhat Tasnia, Mst Ritu Moni, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Sobhana Mostary have been included in the squad while Ayesha Rahman, Panna Ghosh, Ekka Mollik, Sharmin Sultana failed to retain their place from the squad that toured Pakistan.
The 24-year old wicket-keeper bat replaces Rumana Ahmed as the ODI’s skipper of the women’s team, who last featured in an ODI series against Pakistan in 2019. Prior to the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh will tour Zimbabwe as a part of their preparations. The two teams will play a three-match ODI series at Queen Sports Club in Bulawayo between November 10 and November 15. This bilateral series is expected to prepare both the teams for the upcoming ICC event.
Meanwhile, Sultana, who made her international debut in 2015, has featured in 21 ODIs and 52 T20Is, scoring 1218 international runs, including two half-centuries and a century. Behind the stumps, she has accounted for 49 dismissals, including 20 catches and 29 stumpings. She also holds the record for being the sixth on the list of wicket-keepers to have maximum stumpings (3) in an ODI inning.
Click here – Schedule of ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.