Bangladesh Women’s skipper Nigar Sultana expressed her disappointment at not being able to play the 2024 T20 Women’s World Cup on home soil, as the recent decision to shift the tournament to the UAE has deprived them of the pride of competing in front of a passionate local crowd.
The International Cricket Council recently decided to relocate the World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE due to travel restrictions imposed by several countries amid the political crisis in the subcontinent.
“For the last two days, I was really sad, but today I feel a bit better because many people tried to help me understand [the switch] in different ways,” Nigar told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium when asked about the recent development.
“To be honest, I was deeply hurt, from the bottom of my heart.
I had many dreams, and it wasn’t just me—every player felt the same.
We weren’t the only ones eagerly waiting to play the World Cup in our country; our families, friends, fans, and loved ones were all looking forward to it as well,” she said.
“They were preparing in their own ways for this World Cup.
As a player, I feel like I missed the chance to experience the pride of playing the World Cup in front of the home crowd.
We have been deprived of that honor,” she added.
Nigar also expressed her excitement about having a cricketer elected as the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, stating that Faruque Ahmed, being a former player himself, is well aware of the needs of cricketers.
Faruque, the first BCB president with competitive cricket experience, represented Bangladesh in seven ODIs between 1988 and 1999.
He also served as the BCB’s chief selector for two terms.
“I believe that his experience was a key factor in his election as the board president.
This will likely be beneficial for the players because he understands what we need, and for that, I am happy,” said Nigar.
“Of course, it will take some time to fully understand how his leadership will benefit us and what changes might come.
But since he played cricket, I can say he is well aware of the obstacles we usually face.
He previously worked as a selector, and a long time ago, he was involved in women’s selection.
At that point, I was just starting in the camp, not yet an important player, so he might not remember me from that time,” she said.
“He has the experience, and players will certainly welcome those who work for their benefit.
Having played cricket, they know better than anyone what is needed to perform at the international level.
So, if those involved in cricket come forward to support the players, it can only be a positive thing,” she added.
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