Nigar Sultana has been retained as Bangladesh’s captain for their upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, despite having voluntarily stepped down from her T20I leadership role following the Asian Games. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appears confident in Nigar’s capabilities, owing to her record as the nation’s most accomplished ODI captain.
Joining the squad are newcomers Disha Biswas, a pace-bowling allrounder, and right-arm seamer Habiba Islam, both of whom are making their debut appearances. Returning to the team are Murshida Khatun and Dilara Akter. However, the squad sees notable omissions; Juairiya Ferdous, Fahima Khatun, and Fariha Trisna, who played in the last ODI series against Sri Lanka, have been left out.
Nigar’s decision to relinquish her T20I captaincy was made post-Asian Games where Bangladesh contended against Pakistan in a bid for bronze, allowing her to concentrate more on her batting. The upcoming series marks Bangladesh women’s first bilateral tour of Australia, with all matches slated for Brisbane on October 9, 11, and 14.
In a significant change within the coaching staff, the BCB has opted not to renew Sarwar Imran’s head coach contract. David Hemp, a veteran within the BCB and a former Bermuda national, will take over the role. Hemp, who has previously served as the men’s batting coach and been involved with the High Performance unit, was also at the helm of Pakistan women’s team from 2020 to 2022.
Bangladesh ODI Squad for Australia Tour:
Nigar Sultana (captain), Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Sarmin Sultana, Sharmin Akter, Sanjida Akther, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, Farzana Haque, Disha Biswas, Murshida Khatun, Habiba Islam.
