They said there’s no future for women cricketers in Bangladesh. Nigar Sultana and Co are out to prove them wrong،
Last November, in a match where Bangladesh was looking to keep the one-day series against Pakistan alive, Nigar Sultana, their keeper-captain, scored a steady 54 to take his team to 169. But after 47 overs, Pakistan came within range of winning the series at 153 for 7 when Nigar removed Diana Baig in what was the first of three outings which resulted in the match being tied. In the ensuing Super Over, Pakistan scored seven and Bangladesh needed two to win the last ball. The striking Nigar came out and hit Nashra Sandhu at mid-off for four to level the series and pay tribute to the people who made it possible for him to do all this.
“After hitting the four, I ran to my parents in the gallery where I hugged them. It was the best moment of my life,” Nigar, 26, told ESPNcricinfo's Powerplay podcast . “I think it has inspired a lot of parents. A lot of women take up the sport and dream of one day playing for Bangladesh.”
Nigar said it was the courage of her parents and those of her teammates that helped create a revolution in women's football. Cricket is no longer a taboo activity for women in Bangladesh, which will also host the Women's T20 World Cup later this year.
At the start, it was [the culture of women’s cricket] It wasn't very good because we are a Muslim country and it was very difficult for women to choose cricket as a profession because we have our conservative culture that thinks girls should be inside or doing the chores housewives. But I should thank all the parents [of female players]. They are courageous and supported their daughters.
“I come from a middle-class family from a small town. For me, it was very, very difficult. Every time I went to the field, people said so many negative things. They said he There was no future for women cricketers in this country. Bangladesh, and we should not go out in jerseys and t-shirts. It was not a good culture. The hardest part was for the parents of 'be ready to let their daughters realize their dream.
The tide began to turn in 2018, three years into Nigar's career, when Bangladesh beat India in a last-ball thriller in the Women's T20 Asia Cup final.
“It was our first big achievement and it caught the attention of the whole of Bangladesh,” she said. “After that, the revolution began. We never looked back.”
A month later, Bangladesh won all matches in the 2018 T20 World Cup qualifiers and appeared in their third T20 World Cup (they went on to play two more). More importantly for Nigar, they also qualified for their first 50 over World Cup.
“That’s how it started,” she said. A few months after the 2022 ODI World Cup, the ICC unveiled its first women's Future Tours (FTP) programme, which Nigar described as a “game changer” due to the regularity of the fixtures.
“Before [the FTP], we have not played international cricket continuously. Even though we have played a lot of practice matches or a lot of domestic matches, the international matches are very different. Now we play international cricket regularly. We play against the best teams so we can learn and gain experience. It changed the whole vibe of our team. We now know how to handle pressure situations in international football. Before, we only played against the top teams in the ICC tournaments or in a tournament like the Asian Games.”
And the proof is in the results. In 2023, Bangladesh played four bilateral white-ball series – up from one in 2021 and one in 2022 – including the first in almost a decade against India. Better yet, they claimed their first ODI win against India and drew 1-1 after tying the decider. Nigar top-scored in the victory with 39 and triggered a six-wicket collapse for 34 runs in the final match when she removed Harleen Deol in the 42nd over. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur criticized the refereeing of the match, calling it “pathetic”, and was heard to insinuate that the officials favored Bangladesh in their decision-making, but Nigar would not be drawn into that kind of talk.
This particular match was really exciting and both teams played some good cricket. Apart from the other incident [Harmanpreet’s]it was a very good match,” she said. “We felt the match could have gotten away from us when it rained. [at which point India needed 53 more from 12 overs]. I told my daughters that after the rain, when we return to the field, India will attack us hard and maybe we can do the same. Just keep believing in yourself and with every ball, fight for it. We won't lose until we lose. »
The series has given Bangladesh the confidence that they can challenge the best in the world. Fargana Hoque scored Bangladesh's first ODI hundred, and Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan and Nahida Akter troubled the Indian batters, who were reduced to 91 for 8 in the first ODI.
“So many players on our team idolize Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues because they watch them and dream of playing against them. That was a huge, huge thing for the young guys on my team. And I think that was a “That’s a good thing to remember for us. We are not using names at this time. We just wanted to play as a team,” Nigar said. “On our team, we don't have any big hitters, we don't have any particular game winners. But what we believe is that whoever starts must finish the match.”
Bangladesh followed up with wins in the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan and notched their maiden wins in both formats in South Africa. Later this month, they will host world champions Australia for their first bilateral series in Bangladesh, a contest Nigar sees as ideal preparation for a home T20 World Cup. But there is something more she would like too.
“It’s quite disappointing because there is no GLP [for women] right away. When the WPL started with exhibition matches, we proposed a women's BPL tournament to our cricket committee. When you play in a franchise league, it opens a door for you because you can get to know other players, experienced players. Women's cricket isn't running at the moment, it's running. If we could have a women's BPL it would encourage a lot of women to take up the sport. I should also mention that it is very important to get financial support and you will get a good amount of money from [such] a tournament. I hope the Bangladesh Cricket Board will organize the BPL for women's cricket soon as the T20 World Cup is coming and it could be a great preparation for the team.
Nigar's argument regarding the ability to make a living through gambling should be taken seriously. In the FICA Women's Cricket Report 2023, Bangladesh was among the countries lauded for the progress made in the development of the game and they have since increased players' salaries and match fees. In return, the team produces results and, led by Nigar, also inspires a nation.
“I keep everything simple. I tell my girls: I'm not your captain, I'm just your colleague. What I believe is that if you maintain a good culture off the field, it will have an effect on the field because your dressing room will become more relaxed and more fun and you will enjoy every moment, so I tried this and it worked for me.
“I'm a very fun person. And I'm very naughty. I never miss an opportunity to dance, sing and do naughty things. This makes my character more accessible to players. And they can come to me at any time , they can tell me about their life, cricket or personal.”
