Nigar Sultana has stunned the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) by announcing her intention to step down as T20I captain immediately following the Asian Games. The decision, communicated via email just two days before the team’s tournament opener against China on September 17, has left board officials questioning the timing and underlying reasons for the move.
Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s wing, confirmed receipt of the email and expressed his frustration regarding the announcement. While Nigar cited a desire to prioritize her performance as a batter and wicketkeeper while maintaining her role as ODI captain, the board remains caught off guard. “I honestly don’t know why she suddenly decided to step down,” Rafiqul stated, adding that the timing of the news, coming just before a major competition, is deeply disappointing. He indicated that the board plans to review the situation alongside Tamim Iqbal once the squad concludes its Asian Games campaign.
Nigar, who has steered the T20I squad since 2022, has experienced a tenure defined by both milestones and inconsistencies. A major highlight occurred during the 2024 T20 World Cup, where she guided Bangladesh to a historic victory against Scotland—the nation’s first World Cup win in a decade. During that campaign, she personally contributed 104 runs and seven dismissals. However, her leadership has recently faced intense scrutiny following a 2-1 home series defeat to Sri Lanka, inconsistent performances in a tri-series involving Scotland and the Netherlands, and a challenging World Cup outing where the team managed only two wins in five matches.
Despite her success earlier in 2026, where the team finished as unbeaten champions in the World Cup qualifiers, the recent downturn appears to have accelerated this transition. The BCB has made it clear that no final decisions regarding the T20I leadership will be made until the team returns from the tournament, emphasizing that a more collaborative discussion could have taken place had the communication occurred after the event. 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 we will figure out the best way forward, after they get back from the Asian Games. The report also notes that nigar has led Bangladesh’s T20I side since taking over the captaincy in 2022.
