Nigar Sultana has blindsided the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) with her sudden decision to step down as the national women’s T20I captain. The announcement, delivered via email just two days before Bangladesh’s September 17 Asian Games opener against China, has left board officials questioning the timing and underlying motives for her departure.
Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s wing, confirmed the board received notice of her decision. While the email indicated Nigar wishes to prioritize her performance as a batter and wicketkeeper while retaining her ODI captaincy, the official expressed surprise at the abrupt manner of the resignation. “I honestly don’t know why she suddenly decided to step down,” Rafiqul stated. He noted that the timing caused him significant embarrassment and disappointment, adding that he would have preferred to discuss such concerns with the player after the tournament concluded.
The board plans to address the situation once the squad returns from the Asian Games, with Rafiqul confirming that he and Tamim Iqbal will evaluate the future of the captaincy upon the team’s arrival. Despite her desire to remain in the 50-over format, her T20I tenure has faced mounting pressure following a 2-1 series loss to Sri Lanka and inconsistent performances during a recent tri-series and the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the team managed only two wins from five matches.
Nigar has held the T20I captaincy role since 2022. Her leadership tenure included a historic milestone at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where she guided Bangladesh to their first World Cup victory in ten years by defeating Scotland. Individually, she was a standout performer during that campaign, contributing 104 runs and seven dismissals. Earlier in 2026, she also led the side to an unbeaten finish during the World Cup qualifiers, marking the highs of a term that has now come under increasing scrutiny. The report also notes that citing a desire to focus on her batting and wicketkeeping while continuing to lead the ODI side, on Tuesday (September 15) that Nigar had informed the board of her decision by email. The report also notes that wishing to stay in the 50-over format while stepping away from T20s, an email was sent regarding this matter, the player does not feel comfortable and expressed a desire to focus more on batting and wicketkeeping. The report also notes that the decision taken before the Asian Games leaves me both embarrassed and deeply disappointed.
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