Nigar Sultana eyes historic win as Bangladesh open Women's T20 World Cup 2024

Dhaka, Sep 24 (IANS) As the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 approaches, Bangladesh captain Nigar 'Joty' Sultana has her sights set on rewriting history for her team. The tournament will kick off with Bangladesh facing Scotland on October 3 in Sharjah, and Joty is determined to lead her side to their first win in the competition since 2014.

It has been a decade since Bangladesh last tasted victory at the Women's T20 World Cup, defeating Ireland in a ninth-place playoff in Sylhet. Since then, the team has participated in four World Cup editions, playing 16 games without a win. For Joty, who has been part of every World Cup since 2014, this is a trend she is eager to change.

"I have played four [T20] World Cups, but we have never won a game," Joty shared during a pre-tournament press conference at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka. "The last time we won was in 2014. We have played well in previous editions, but playing well only means something when you can win."

Joty's focus is clear—start the tournament with a win to set the tone for the rest of the competition. With a favorable record against Scotland, having won all four previous T20I encounters, she believes the opener presents the perfect opportunity to give Bangladesh the momentum they need.

"We want to win the first match. It will be a huge achievement for the team. Then the team will get into a rhythm, and we can dream of something bigger," Joty said.

While Joty is confident in her team’s spin-bowling strength, she admits that batting remains an area of concern. However, recent improvements in domestic tournaments and performances during the A team’s tour of Sri Lanka give her hope.

"Batting is definitely a concern, but we saw some improvements among the batters during the A team tour. Most of our players have done well domestically, and I hope they continue their form in the World Cup."

On the brink of becoming the first Bangladeshi player to reach 100 Women's T20Is, Joty also spoke about the strategic approach her team is taking for the tournament. With a game plan tailored for each opponent, she is optimistic about her team’s chances to go far in the competition.

"To play in the semifinal, we have to win against other teams too. We have different plans against each team. If we can execute our game plan, it will be better for us. We have defeated South Africa in T20Is, and we rarely meet England, so it might be difficult for them too."

After the Scotland opener, Bangladesh will face England on October 5th, followed by matches against West Indies on October 10th and South Africa on October 12th. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.

Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shanthi Rani, Disha Biswas

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