Last Updated:
Bangladesh women’s team lost twice to Bangladesh Under-15 boys in the Challenge Cup, raising concerns ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh women’s team captain Nigar Sultana
Bangladesh women’s team’s preparation for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka has taken a major hit following their twin losses to the country’s Under-15 boys’ team. Their back-to-back defeats in the ongoing Challenge Cup – a tournament organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for the team’s preparation for the global event – have raised concerns before they fly to India.
According to Cricbuzz, the 50-over tournament features three teams: Bangladesh Women’s Team Red, Bangladesh Women’s Team Green and Bangladesh U-15 team. The Bangladesh Under-15 boys won both their games, beating Red by 87 runs and Green by 47 runs.
The Bangladesh women’s team will head into the World Cup without having played an international match for five months. Their last outing came against Pakistan during the World Cup Qualifier on April 19, 2025. Since then, the players have only gone through fitness programs before regrouping in Sylhet for a camp limited to intra-squad matches.
In contrast, leading teams such as India, Australia, and England have remained busy with competitive bilateral series.
BCB women’s committee chairperson, Nazmul Abedin, said they tried organising competitive matches with other nations but failed due to several challenges.
“Since qualifying in April, we tried arranging games with other boards but couldn’t finalise anything,” said Nazmul.
“We spoke to Sri Lanka, but they pulled out to play domestic cricket. Of the eight World Cup teams, four already had fixtures; the rest – Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England – are not playing.”
“We even approached the West Indies, but since they didn’t qualify, they weren’t interested. Thailand and the UAE women’s teams wanted games, but those wouldn’t have helped our preparation. What we are doing now with the boys feels more competitive,” he added.
Bangladesh women’s captain Nigar Sultana, who is also leading the Red Team in the Challenge Cup, believes it would have been better if they had got some games against international opponents.
“It would have been better if we had played an international match, but a lot of effort was made. Because of other teams’ packed schedules, it was not possible. Still, with whatever facilities we are getting, with the highest facilities possible in Bangladesh, we are practicing,” Nigar was quoted as saying.
The Bangladesh women’s team will take a six-day break after the Challenge Cup. They will attend a nine-day camp in Sylhet early next month, which will include three day-night practice matches at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, serving as their final preparation for the World Cup.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
Read More
