David Hemp, the newly appointed head coach of the Bangladesh women’s team, is eyeing the upcoming tour of Australia as a vital litmus test for his squad. The 55-year-old coach, who has signed a contract running until September 2028, will officially begin his two-year stint by joining the team in Brisbane for the three-match ODI series scheduled for October 9, 11, and 14 at Allan Border Field.
This appointment marks a return to the Bangladesh setup for Hemp, who previously served as the team’s batting coach during the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier held in Nepal earlier this year. Regarding his return, Hemp expressed his familiarity with the group and noted that he enjoyed the positive environment previously established within the squad. I enjoyed my time here and obviously looking forward to this next stint,” Hemp told. “Having worked with the girls previously so I know what to expect and that’s one of the reasons why I’m coming back because I enjoyed the environment,” he said.
The tour presents a steep challenge, as the Australian hosts are currently the top-ranked side in both ODI and T20I formats. However, Hemp views the confrontation with the world’s best as a necessary developmental step. He explained that facing high-caliber opposition is essential for testing the team, learning how to evolve, and ultimately challenging the leaders of the sport. Hemp remains optimistic that the current world rankings do not accurately reflect the true quality and potential of the Bangladesh players. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for us as well. It’ll give us a really good indication of where we stand and also what we can pick up and what we can learn and how we can try and evolve ourselves to be able to challenge these teams at the top of the tree,” he added.
Addressing the squad’s path forward, the coach emphasized consistency as the key metric for improvement. He stated that his primary goal is to help the players progress on a daily and weekly basis, ensuring everyone remains on the same page. While he acknowledged that the upcoming matches serve as a gauge for where the team currently stands, he insisted that the players must focus exclusively on variables within their control. “Any team needs to just focus on what we can control and you know the most important thing for us as a group is to really connect and make sure that we’re all on the same page, all trying to move forward together,” he said.
When questioned about recent organizational turmoil and the departure of previous leadership—including former head coach Sarowar Imran’s concerns and Nigar Sultana stepping down as T20I captain—Hemp clarified he was not aware of those specific developments. He maintained that his focus remains entirely on fostering team unity and camaraderie, citing the successful group atmosphere he witnessed during the qualifying tournaments he previously attended.
The team is scheduled to depart for Australia on October 3. As he prepares to lead the squad, Hemp reiterated his belief in their collective talent. He stressed that by improving how they play and focusing on mutual support, the team can successfully climb the international rankings and compete more effectively on the global stage.
