Bangladesh Women's Team Struggles Ahead of World Cup

The Bangladesh senior women's team is facing a tough time ahead of the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup, scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka. The team has lost back-to-back games against Bangladesh's Under-15 boys in the ongoing Challenge Cup, a tournament organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board as part of the team's preparation for the global event.

Lack of International Matches

The team has not played an international fixture for five months leading up to the World Cup, with their last match being against Pakistan during the World Cup Qualifier on April 19, 2025. In contrast, top teams like India, Australia, and England have been engaged in bilateral contests.

Challenges in Organising Matches

BCB women's committee chairperson Nazmul Abedin explained that attempts were made to organise competitive matches but failed to do so due to various challenges. He cited that other teams had packed schedules and were unable to accommodate Bangladesh's requests.

Team's Opinion Divided

Team skipper Nigar Sultana believes it would have been better if they got some games against international opponents, while Nazmul Abedin thinks that playing against the Under-15 boys is more competitive compared to other teams.

Final Preparations

The women's team will have a six-day break before starting their last phase of preparation – a nine-day camp in Sylhet early next month. They will also play three practice matches under floodlights at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium during the camp, which is expected to be their final build-up for the megaevent.