Spin-heavy Bangladesh bank on experienced core to survive stiff group

This will be Bangladesh's seventh appearance at the Women's T20 World Cup, having first competed in 2014. They arrived in England after earning their spot through an unbeaten run in the Global Qualifier in Nepal earlier this year. Nigar Sultana leads the side for the third consecutive T20 World Cup, heading a squad built on spin, experience, and a core group that has grown up together across a decade of international cricket.

Squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (c, wk), Nahida Akter (vc), Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Taj Nehar.

Players to keep an eye on

• Marufa Akter is expected to be the X-factor in English conditions, with Bangladesh hoping her pace makes an impact.
• Shorna Akter is a key contributor with both ball and bat; she took the second-most wickets for Bangladesh (8) in the Global Qualifier.
• Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty carries form from the recent tri-series, where she top-scored (190 runs at 63.33).

The pre-tournament tri-series in Edinburgh did not go smoothly—they lost their first two fixtures against Scotland and Netherlands respectively, but came back to win their last two games.

Off the field, reports of dressing-room tensions forced Nigar Sultana to deny allegations that she is a "dictator" in the dressing room.

Where they finished in 2024

Group stage: Four games, one win, three losses. The sole win over Scotland ended a decade-long losing streak at T20 World Cups.

How have they performed since then

Since the 2024 World Cup, Bangladesh's T20I record has been patchy. Ireland swept them 3-0 in November 2024, and West Indies did the same in January 2025. The unbeaten run through seven Qualifier matches in Nepal was the high point, but Sri Lanka then won a series 3-0 in Bangladesh just weeks before the World Cup.

Pakistan on June 22 at The Oval is effectively a must-win. Bangladesh's Group 1 also features Australia, India, and South Africa—games they are highly unlikely to win. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the Women's ODI World Cup 2025, showing they can do it at ICC events.

Nigar Sultana is Bangladesh's leading run-scorer in T20 World Cup history with 456 runs in 20 innings at a strike rate of 86.36. She has every chance of becoming the first Bangladesh woman to cross 500 runs in the tournament.

Prediction: Two wins against the Netherlands and Pakistan, and an honourable group-stage exit. Bangladesh have managed just three tournament wins across six World Cup appearances since 2014, and while this is their most experienced squad yet, Group 1 is too steep a mountain for a semi-final push to be realistic.