The India vs Bangladesh rivalry within the ladies’s sport took a somewhat unsavoury flip when Harmanpreet Kaur’s outburst in opposition to the umpires throughout India’s tour final 12 months left the host chagrined. Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana Joty didn’t mince phrases then, saying her reverse quantity ought to have ‘spoken with some manners.’
A little bit over ten months later, the 2 sides meet once more, in a five-match T20I collection and whereas Nigar politely fields questions on this rivalry and that outburst patiently, she is raring to let a problem of the previous stay prior to now.
“The controversy has handed a very long time again. As knowledgeable crew, we shouldn’t be pondering like that. It’s one other alternative for us to play in opposition to a superb crew. India is among the many prime sides on the planet and we’ve got an opportunity to indicate {our capability},” Nigar stated forward of the primary T20I between the 2 nations in Sylhet on Sunday.
“I’m wanting forward, no matter has occurred has passed by. Everybody is considering the world cup as a result of we’re internet hosting it. We’re headed to the Asia Cup subsequent so we’re focussed on that preparation.”
An Aussie-flavoured studying curve
Because the captain of the nation which is able to host the T20 World Cup later this 12 months, Nigar at the moment has lots on her plate, the foremost being the accountability of a facet which has a median age of 23.6 (4 gamers beneath the age of 20, two 30+-year-olds) and a large gulf of expertise when pitted in opposition to among the different seasoned campaigners within the aggressive pool.
The nation comes into the collection in opposition to India after being totally outplayed by Australia within the ODI and T20I collection performed right here. Bangladesh couldn’t win a single sport, however had loads of positives to carry on to.
“It was a really robust tour for the crew. We weren’t capable of carry out the way in which we’ve got been during the last six months. We didn’t play to our potential. We performed in opposition to India, Pakistan, South Africa which noticed us put up some good crew efforts. however we couldn’t put performances collectively as a unit in opposition to Australia,” Nigar defined.
“Particular person performances had been there, although. These gamers have been taking part in very properly for the facet for a very long time. It’s only one tour (that’s been underwhelming) and we’ve nonetheless positioned our religion in them. What we’ve taken from the collection in opposition to Australia is what we must always do in robust conditions and the way we must always keep calm, maintain our nerves and maintain going.”
Nigar was notably impressed together with her bowling contingent and the scale of the struggle it put up in opposition to the present world champion outfit.
“I’ve quite a lot of selection at my disposal. I’ve left arm spin, leg spin and two good younger quick bowlers. They’re very younger and don’t assume an excessive amount of concerning the worldwide sport. They simply wish to categorical themselves. I at all times inform them to not assume an excessive amount of about who they’re bowling to. I inform them to only categorical themselves and benefit from the sport. How Marufa (Akter) and (Fariha) Trisna delivered was fairly attention-grabbing. The skilled batters had been smashing us however Trisna got here in and obtained that hattrick. Even the Aussies had been a bit shocked by her. It was superb.”
FILE PHOTO: Bangladesh’s gamers react after sport three of the Girls’s T20 Worldwide collection between Bangladesh and Australia.
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FILE PHOTO: Bangladesh’s gamers react after sport three of the Girls’s T20 Worldwide collection between Bangladesh and Australia.
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The sparks the bowling arsenal confirmed had been sadly in useless with Bangladesh’s batting struggling to match as much as the Aussies. The facet didn’t handle a three-figure complete within the ODI collection. Classes had been learnt and carried out within the T20I leg, nevertheless it was nonetheless too little to stop a clear sweep with closely particular person margins of loss (by 10 wickets, 58 and 77 runs within the three video games respectively).
“Bowlers have been doing their job for a very long time. It’s all concerning the batters. We weren’t constant for the crew and that has hampered the crew efficiency. Everyone knows that and the teaching workers has been working arduous with the batters. Bowlers get two-three possibilities to make an affect in a sport however batters get only one. In the event that they don’t use it, they’re out. It’s very tough.”
“It’s a younger facet and typically, once we don’t get runs or issues don’t go our approach, they get a bit low in confidence. So the job is to encourage them and maintain their spirits. I personally was not too constant. I obtained runs in a single match however didn’t within the subsequent two.”
Breaking the wheel
There was an unlimited quantity of stress on Nigar. All through the collection, she was the (comparatively) most constant batter within the facet and confidently took a world class bowling on. Her placement, shot choice and strike rotation had been all classes the remainder of the crew would have been watching intently to imbibe of their approaches out within the center.
She scored 96 runs in three innings within the T20Is at a median of 48.00, second solely to Alyssa Healy within the combination throughout groups. This was an enchancment on the 44 runs she managed within the ODIs. This was head and shoulders above what her crew may put collectively.
“It’s fairly intense. Captaining this facet, main a bunch of very younger gamers is difficult. They don’t assume an excessive amount of about cricket and typically I have to pamper them and deal with them as a result of they get upset simply. It’s fairly arduous for me typically. however I’m actually having fun with it.”
“As a prime order batter, my crew was counting on me an excessive amount of. Each time I get runs persistently, my crew efficiency and consequence will likely be completely different. That is the stress I play with, I do know that very properly however I prefer it, that accountability. In a lighter state of affairs possibly I gained’t put in a lot, focus as rigorously.”
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Nigar is a pacesetter in a crew nonetheless discovering it arduous to interrupt into the large leagues, regardless of exhibiting glimpses of chutzpah many instances over the previous few years.
“After I obtained the chance to characterize the nation, I instructed myself that I’ve to do one thing completely different for the gamers which I didn’t have after I began off. The very first thing was to take away this senior-junior barrier. I needed to cast off it. I do know each time the children – truly anybody – come into this crew, all they need is appreciation and a constructive vibe within the dressing room. I’m attempting to create that setting for them.”
“I’ve tried to maintain communication strains open. They’ll come to me anytime on and off the sphere and communicate to me about their cricket or their private lives. We’ve that type of bonding and that helped me lots within the area as properly as a result of it has fostered quite a lot of belief.”
So what occurs when Nigar wants some pampering herself?
“I’ve a assist system, nevertheless it’s primarily my elder brother and mom. My mom doesn’t find out about cricket however she saved telling me, “It’s okay, you’ll get runs tomorrow” or ‘You’ll do higher within the subsequent sport.’ She by no means says something dangerous to me after a sport. She is aware of that if a match doesn’t go properly, I isolate myself in a room, I eat lots and watch a film as a result of I wish to take into consideration something however cricket. The subsequent day, I’ll take into consideration what I did within the match.”
FILE PHOTO: Alyssa Healy of Australia shakes palms with Nigar Sultana of Bangladesh after sport two of the Girls’s T20 Worldwide collection between Bangladesh and Australia at Sher-e-Bangla Nationwide Cricket Stadium on April 02, 2024 in Dhaka.
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FILE PHOTO: Alyssa Healy of Australia shakes palms with Nigar Sultana of Bangladesh after sport two of the Girls’s T20 Worldwide collection between Bangladesh and Australia at Sher-e-Bangla Nationwide Cricket Stadium on April 02, 2024 in Dhaka.
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In a world that’s more and more shifting in the direction of elevated psychological well being assist for its athletes, Bangladesh is taking its child steps too.
“Proper earlier than coming to Sylhet, we had a session devoted to mindfulness. It was a two-hour session on stress administration. They spoke about psychological well being and the way we are able to take care of ourselves in robust conditions, come again from negativity or stress factors. It was a superb session and hopefully we’ll have extra of those assets sooner or later.”
Within the scorching seat
Tense match conditions will likely be solely one of many many challenges this facet will cope with. It is going to face a formidable opponent in attempting circumstances. The warmth and humidity is predicted to return into play given this can be a sport occurring round 4pm native time in Sylhet, not too completely different from the afternoon video games performed in opposition to Healy’s Australia.
“We performed the video games in opposition to Australia throughout the month of Ramadan so it was very tough for the board to rearrange within the night as a result of we’ve got to interrupt our quick at 6pm. The BCB tried for night video games, however throughout the spectrum of distributors, we weren’t capable of handle a later begin. In opposition to India, we’re taking part in round 4pm. It’s scorching and humid however the climate will likely be a bit softer. Fingers crossed, we might get an innings or half underneath the lights as properly.”
The unwitting rivalry however, Nigar is worked up on the prospect of brushing shoulders with Harmanpreet once more. Throughout Australia’s tour, she had gifted Healy a standard purple saree and bangles and is looking out for a present for the Indian captain too.
“I used to be telling my gamers that I wish to give Harman one thing, what ought to I give? So we’re brainstorming to see what to offer. We wish to give Harmanpreet the very best reward.”
Nigar admitted that the Indian crew (throughout verticals) is extraordinarily widespread in Bangladesh and hopes it drives up the footfall for the video games.
“Let me let you know. India may be very widespread in Bangladesh. When the India crew got here, social media was abuzz. All of them are eagerly ready for us to play one another once more, I’m undecided why ( laughs).”
“Curiosity in ladies’s cricket is rising day-to-day. The crowds now usually are not massive, however the ones who assist the sport come. Many who needed to return however couldn’t make it throughout their work schedules ended up following it on dwell streams. In Sylhet, there are quite a lot of billboards publicising our video games. Lot of movies and social media promotion are being put out by the board too. If the house crew does properly, extra individuals will come and watch.”
The primary T20I between Bangladesh Girls and India Girls will likely be streamed dwell on the FanCode app and web site.