The 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup started on February 10 with Sri Lanka vs South Africa game. This is the eighth edition of the tournament, and Bangladesh is participating for the fifth time. Bangladesh started the World Cup journey on February 12 with a group-stage match against the Sri Lanka Women’s team. For this event, Bangladesh has been playing with a 15-member squad. This article will cover the squad analysis of the Bangladesh team.
Bangladesh Squad Analysis in 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
Nigar Sultana will lead the Tigresses at this year’s T20 World Cup, with Hashan Tillakaratne as head coach. This marks the fifth time Bangladesh has taken part in this tournament, having first competed in 2014 when they hosted. The team earned their place in the main event by winning the qualifier tournament in the UAE last year, beating Thailand in the semifinals and Ireland in the final.
The Bangladesh squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup has several players from their victorious U19 team. Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, and Disha Biswas were all part of the side that shocked Australia U19 on the first day of the tournament, winning by a convincing seven wickets. Their success continued, and the team made it to the Super Six stage, ultimately finishing third in the group.
Read More: ICC Women's T20 World Cup: Bangladesh leave Dhaka for South Africa
Bangladesh Squad:
Nigar Sultana (c), Rumana Ahmed, Dilara Akter, Marufa Akter, Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter, Jahanara Alam, Disha Biswas, Fahima Khatun, Murshida Khatun, Salma Khatun, Lata Mondal, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Shamima Sultana.
Traveling Reserves:
Rabeya Khan, Sanjida Akter Meghla, Sharmin Akter Supta.
Key Strength of the Bangladesh Team
The presence of the most recent U19 performers, such as Shorna Akter, Disha Biswas, and Marufa Akter, will surely boost the confidence of the Bangladesh team. Having them on the team will not only benefit the team’s performance, but it will also give the players a chance to gain experience from playing at the top level of cricket. They will be able to get accustomed to the competitive atmosphere and will be able to gain invaluable knowledge from it.
Nigar Sultana’s leadership is also another significant strength for the Bangladesh Women’s cricket team. As an experienced player, she brings a lot of positivity, calm, and composure to the Bangladesh setup. Her performances will be crucial for Bangladesh, and her captaincy skills will be on display for everyone to see.
Read More: Bangladesh vs England ODI Series 2023 Preview: Schedule, Fixtures, Team
In addition to that, Nigar Sultana’s leadership and determination to succeed have made her a true idol to admire. So far, she has played 69 T20I matches and scored 1,225 runs with a 24.50 batting average. So, it is expected that Nigar Sultana’s batting and wicket keeping performance will surely help the Bangladesh team.
Further, winning the qualifier will also work as a confidence booster. Having won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier, the team is looking to make a strong impression in the group-stage matches. With confidence and determination, Bangladesh is ready to show the world what they are capable of.
Apart from these confidence-boosting opportunities, bowlers Salma Khatun and Jahanara Alam will also play a key role in the team. Salma started her T20I career with her debut against Ireland on August 28, 2012.
In June 2018, she had the honor of being a part of Bangladesh’s first-ever Women’s Asia Cup title. She was subsequently named captain of Bangladesh’s 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament squad. She appeared in 91 T20I matches and took 84 wickets with 4/6 best bowling figures.
Read More: Imranur conferred with country's first-ever gold at Asian-level athletics
On the other hand, Jahanara Alam played 75 T20I matches and grabbed 57 wickets with a 21.75 bowling average. In October 2018, Salma Khatun was included in Bangladesh’s squad for the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.
During the tournament, she topped the wicket-taking charts for Bangladesh, claiming six wickets in four matches. After the tournament ended, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named her as the standout player in the team. So, Jahanara Alam is one of the top strengths of the Bangladesh team.
Weakness of the Bangladesh Team
Bangladesh has encountered several defeats leading up to the World Cup. This may lower the confidence level. They were crushed by New Zealand in a T20I series, losing all three matches. During the Asia Cup, the team was disappointed with the results, and this may have downgraded their spirits.
In addition to that, Bangladesh’s batters have been struggling with a low strike rate, which is a major source of worry in the T20I format. This game requires quick decisions and a fast-paced approach, leaving no room for weakness.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: England Squad Analysis
Bangladesh’s success relies heavily on its experienced players; however, for the team to reach its full potential, younger, less experienced players need to step up and make an impact. The failure of senior players may cost a loss for the team. The World Cup is an opportunity for them to prove their worth and show the world what they are capable of. The team’s collective strength will be tested, and this could be a turning point for Bangladesh.
Prospect of Bangladesh in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
Ahead of the tournament, Bangladesh has had two warm-up fixtures against Ireland. In the first match, Jahanara Alam shined with four wickets, and the team secured a five-wicket triumph. Unfortunately, the second match resulted in an eight-wicket defeat for Bangladesh.
To further prepare for the tournament, Bangladesh had two more practice games against Pakistan on February 6 and India on February 8. Pakistan Women’s team won by 6 wickets in the first warm up match. Bangladesh also lost to India. Team India won the warm up match by 52 runs.
Hence, these matches may resemble Bangladesh’s preparation. And any match with the big team may give a hard time to the Bangladesh team. Bangladesh will play against Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Since these teams are stronger, Bangladesh may face difficulties in winning over them. Hence, Bangladesh has less chance to proceed to the semifinal.
Read More: BPL 2023: Comilla take down high-flying Sylhet to make final
Final Words
Bangladesh squad for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup looks very promising. The team has a young and talented group of players who have already shown their potential in the previous matches. The team is well-equipped with quality batting and bowling resources, and the experience of some of the senior players will help them to perform better in the tournament.