Amid the political unrest in Bangladesh, the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 has been relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), although Bangladesh remains the official host. Bangladesh women’s captain Nigar Sultana expressed her deep disappointment at the decision, as it denies them the pride and honor of playing the World Cup on home soil, in front of their passionate supporters.
Nigar Sultana conveyed her profound sadness and disappointment over the missed opportunity to compete in the World Cup in Bangladesh—a moment she, her teammates, and their fans had eagerly anticipated. She highlighted the emotional toll of the venue change, as it has deprived her team of the chance to play in front of a home crowd, which they had dreamed of. Despite efforts to console her, the loss of this opportunity is deeply felt.
Nigar emphasized, “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… 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.”
Despite the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) efforts to secure army assurances for the tournament, the UAE was selected as the new venue during the virtual ICC Board meeting, while Bangladesh retains its official hosting rights. The ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, including widespread protests and political unrest, along with reports of violence and casualties, raised serious concerns during the ICC Board meeting about the safety and feasibility of holding the ten-team tournament in such an unstable environment, leading to the change of location.
Nigar Sultana also shared her thoughts on the appointment of Faruque Ahmed as the new president of the BCB. She acknowledged his extensive experience and background in cricket, which she believes will be beneficial for the players. Nigar is optimistic that his firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by cricketers will help address their needs and enhance their preparation for international competition. She is hopeful that his leadership will bring positive changes and support to the players. Faruque, the first BCB president with a background in competitive cricket, represented Bangladesh in seven ODIs between 1988 and 1999 and has a List A century to his name. He also served as the BCB’s chief selector during two terms.
Nigar expressed, “I think as he (Faruque Ahmed) 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. Look, it will take some time because when he will start working, we can understand how good he is for us and what is likely to happen.”
The ninth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup is set to begin on October 3 and run until October 20 at the newly chosen venues, Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Group A will feature Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while Group B includes England, South Africa, Bangladesh, Scotland, and the West Indies.