Bangladesh’s decision to begin the search for a new T20I captain has placed left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter and all-rounder Sobhana Mostary at the centre of the discussion.
Nigar Sultana Joty is set to step down from the leadership role in the T20I format after the Asian Games in Japan, although she will continue to captain Bangladesh in ODIs. With the team scheduled to face India in the second semi-final in Nisshin on 20 September, the match could mark the final T20I appearance of Joty as Bangladesh’s captain.
Nigar Sultana Joty informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board of her decision by email, citing her desire to concentrate on her batting and wicket-keeping. The development came only two days before Bangladesh’s opening Asian Games fixture against China. Their quarter-final against China on 17 September was washed out without a toss because of rain and a wet outfield, allowing Bangladesh to progress to the semi-finals.
The 29-year-old has led Bangladesh in T20Is since making her full-time captaincy debut against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on 18 January 2022. During her tenure, Bangladesh have recorded 32 victories and a win percentage of 40 per cent. As captain, Joty has scored 1,851 runs at a strike rate of 97.47 and an average of 29.85 in 77 innings across 80 matches, with 13 half-centuries.
Overall, she has accumulated 2,709 T20I runs at a strike rate of 93.34 and an average of 27.36 in 126 innings across 132 matches, including 13 fifties and one century. However, her returns during the 2026 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup were modest. Joty scored 56 runs at a strike rate of 86.15 and an average of 14 in four innings. Bangladesh finished second in Group B at the sixth edition of the Asia Cup, hosted by the United Arab Emirates from 28 August to 13 September. Their campaign ended with a 40-run defeat against Harmanpreet Kaur’s India in the first semi-final on 10 September. Joty’s decision also comes after a period in which her leadership faced increased scrutiny.
Bangladesh went unbeaten in the T20 World Cup qualifiers earlier in 2026 but later lost a home series 2-1 to Sri Lanka. They also endured mixed results in the Scotland-Netherlands tri-series before winning two of their five matches at the T20 World Cup. One of the defining moments of Joty’s captaincy came at the 2024 T20 World Cup, when Bangladesh defeated Scotland for their first victory in the tournament in a decade. Joty scored 104 runs in four innings and contributed seven dismissals behind the stumps.
Nahida Akter and Sobhana Mostary are currently regarded as the strongest candidates because of their established roles and experience in the shorter format. Nahida Akter is currently the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in the T20I format with 129 wickets at an average of 17.25 and an economy of 5.86 in 110 innings, including a couple of four-wicket hauls and a couple of five-wicket hauls in 111 matches with the ball for her side, also making her the only Bangladeshi bowler with 100+ T20I wickets in the kitty.
She has also scored 164 runs in 45 innings with the bat for her side. Nahida’s all-round experience as a senior bowler could offer Bangladesh control during the most demanding phases of T20 matches, while Sobhana’s composure may provide greater tactical flexibility and balance to the side.
The board could also consider a longer-term succession plan. Rabeya Khan, who has previously captained the Bangladesh A team, and all-rounder Shorna Akhter are among the younger options. However, handing either player the responsibility immediately is considered premature, given the limited depth of experienced leadership within the current squad.
The BCB was reportedly taken by surprise by Joty’s decision, amid suggestions that she had been disappointed by the way she was treated in recent months. Her leadership has also previously faced allegations from former Bangladesh cricketer Jahanara Alam, who accused her of abusing players in the dressing room and adopting an autocratic approach, claims that have added to the wider debate surrounding the captaincy.
Changes to the coaching structure may follow the Asian Games, with former Bangladesh High Performance head coach David Hemp reportedly the frontrunner to replace Sarowar Imran as head coach. Against this backdrop, the BCB must choose between immediate experience and long-term development.
Bangladesh have won silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games and a bronze at the 2023 edition. A victory over India on 20 September would give Joty a memorable final chapter as T20I captain, but the succession race is already gathering momentum. At present, Nahida and Sobhana stand out as the leading contenders to guide Bangladesh into its next T20I era.
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