Bangladesh arrive in the misleading position of fifth in the ODI rankings, but their lack of experience in New Zealand makes them rank outsiders in their maiden 50-over World Cup
Coach: Shahnawaz Shahid
Shahnawaz took the job early in 2021 once Mark Robinson, the former England coach, opted to join Warwickshire instead. Shahnawaz was initially an interim appointment but has been retained as Bangladesh made it through the World Cup Qualifier – by virtue of their ODI ranking of fifth, courtesy of some cheap wins over Zimbabwe beforehand.
But they also beat Pakistan and were unlucky in the Duckworth/Lewis calculation against Thailand. Shahnawaz may still be under some pressure given that Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh to the eighth spot in the Commonwealth Games competition this summer. Expectations should be realistic, though, considering Bangladesh have never played a game in New Zealand until this trip.
The Tigresses should be targeting the Pakistan game third up, and nicking a win somewhere else.
Captain: Nigar Sultana
Confusingly, Nigar Sultana often wears her nickname Joty on the back of her shirt. She took over the captaincy from Salma Khatun in 2021. It is an interesting appointment considering that, at 24, she is one of the younger players in the set-up. She has a decent view of the play from behind the stumps, and is a reliable source of runs.
Superstars
Any subcontinental cricketer is a superstar in their home country, but many women’s players are anonymous abroad. Jahanara Alam is the most recognisable figure in the team, on account of the headband and make-up, and a superb one-handed return catch off Kycia Knight in the 2018 T20 World Cup.
Rising star
Suraiya Azmin, 22, has come into the equation as a seam option in recent times, and may well be needed if New Zealand conditions are crying out for Bangladesh to divert from their usual reliance on spin.
Bangladesh are rank outsiders at this World Cup
BATTING
Power hitters
It’s hard to say that any of the Bangladeshis truly fall into this category, although Murshida Khatun is a left-handed opener who stands and delivers against any width from the seamers. Ritu Moni comes in later on to add some firepower. Bangladesh’s most aggressive batters are Rumana Ahmed and Fargana Hoque. The flowing Sanjida Islam, who pummelled 71 in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier final against Thailand, isn’t even in the shake-up.
Anchor
No Bangladeshi woman has scored an official ODI century – they haven’t played many until recently – but the opener Sharmin Akter did make 130 not out in a List A game against USA in the World Cup Qualifier. The organised right-hander also has a 74 against South Africa and the rest will look to bat around her.
Finisher
Nigar is a pivotal figure in the middle order; if she fails then Bangladesh could be struggling to put up enough runs. Ritu bats around No.6 and Fahima Khatun around No.7 and have each looked to up the ante in the past.
Problem areas
Having never played a match in New Zealand before the warm-ups, there has to be a concern that Bangladesh’s batting will be blown away by more pace and movement than they usually encounter in the Asian region; certainly that’s what happened when they ran into Deandra Dottin’s 70mph outswingers in their opening match of the 2018 T20 World Cup in Guyana.
Captain Nigar Sultana is also the side's wicketkeeper
BOWLING
Speed merchants
Jahanara is Bangladesh’s wholehearted lead seamer, and bowls awayswing on a good length. Now that the long-serving Panna Ghosh has slipped out of the reckoning, Jahanara will likely be partnered with the skiddier Ritu and the newcomer Suraiya. But Bangladesh are not a team set up around pace bowling.
Variation
As you might expect from an Asian team, Bangladesh’s strong point is their spin attack, but their pace-off options may be of less use in New Zealand conditions. They have two leg-spinners in Fatima Khatun and Rumana Ahmed, both quite round-arm and more top-spinners than anything. Rumana, the loopier of the two, took a hat-trick of lbws against Ireland in Belfast in 2016.
The experienced off-spinner Salma Khatun, is an old-fashioned women’s off-spinner, right down to the cap on her head while bowling, and may come round the wicket to try to cramp the batters. Their best bowler is the left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who can drift and turn it.
Problem areas
While on paper they possess variation in their bowling, Bangladesh’s seamers are not the quickest and their spinners – Nahida aside – not really turners of the ball. On docile New Zealand pitches and short boundaries they are likely to be sized up by the more confident batters. As they have played fewer televised games than other teams, Bangladesh may not be so used to floodlit conditions either.
Rumana Ahmed is one of Bangladesh's key batters
FIELDING
Gun fielder
Fahima are Fargana are both fleet-footed fielders in the inner circle. Fargana took a good catch diving forward off Anna Peterson as Bangladesh gave New Zealand some jitters in the 2020 T20 World Cup.
Who takes the gloves?
Nigar looks the frontunner, although Shamima Sultana has opened and kept wicket recently in T20s, and could be added if they need more batting. Whoever keeps will have to cope with more seam and swing than they are accustomed to. Due to the pace of the Bangladeshi bowling they will be doing a lot of standing up. Nigar took some decent catches standing up in the Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Squad: Nigar Sultana (captain), Fahima Khatun, Fargana Hoque, Fariha Trisna, Jahanara Alam, Lata Mondal, Murshida Khatun, Nahida Akter, Ritu Moni, Rumana Ahmed, Salma Khatun, Shamima Sultana, Sharmin Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Suraiya Azmin
Reserves: Nuzhat Tasnia, Sanjida Akter Meghla
Fixtures: Mar 5 – South Africa, Mar 7 – New Zealand, Mar 14 – Pakistan, Mar 18 – West Indies, Mar 22 – India, Mar 25 – Australia, Mar 27 – England
Possible starting XI: Murshida Khatun, Sharmin Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rumana Ahmed, Nigar Sultana (c, wk), Ritu Moni, Salma Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Lata Mondal, Nahida Akter, Suraiya Azmin
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