At just 19, Rabeya Khan has emerged as a key player in Bangladesh’s women’s white-ball squad, with her leg-spin and all-round abilities making her a crucial asset.
Her rise to prominence has not gone unnoticed, earning praise from both captain Nigar Sultana Joty and head coach Hashan Tillakaratne. As the team readies itself for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Rabeya shared her reflections.
When asked about her recent experience captaining Bangladesh ‘A’ in their series against Sri Lanka ‘A’, Rabeya explained how it served as vital preparation for the World Cup, “I think the preparation was really good. The opponents were unknown to us. So, it was a good place for World Cup preparation. About captaincy, I really enjoyed it. The seniors really helped me and because of that I didn’t face any difficulties.”
Rabeya also acknowledged the sacrifices her family made to support her ambitions, particularly the role her father played in helping her achieve her goals, “I will give the full credit of my cricket career to my father. He is a farmer and worked incredibly hard to help me reach this far. I have three maternal uncles and an aunt, who have helped me and my father whenever we were in need of financial support. My father takes tremendous pride in my success. Not only him, those who used to speak ill, now feel proud of me.”
Looking ahead to the World Cup, Rabeya spoke about the importance of spin on Sharjah’s spin-friendly pitches, where Bangladesh will play most of their group-stage matches.
“We closely followed the recent South Africa versus Afghanistan matches in Sharjah to learn about the wicket. Our spin attack has always been good and it’s doing well right now. So, I expect we will perform well there,” she said.
When asked about her role with the bat, in light of captain Joty’s expectations for her to contribute more in that department, Rabeya remained optimistic, “As a batting unit, we have a tendency of getting bowled out cheaply at times. Like the coach and the captain, I also hope that I will be able to contribute with the bat alongside my bowling. I’m doing everything I can and hopefully my efforts will get reflected in the World Cup.”
Bangladesh is set to kick off their World Cup campaign on October 3, against Scotland in Sharjah, followed by group-stage clashes with England, South Africa, and the West Indies.
2024 Bangladesh T20 World Cup Squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (C), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Dilara Akter (WK), Sultana Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Fahima Khatun, Taj Nehar, Disha Biswas, Shathi Rani
(Quotes sourced from The Daily Star)