Bangladesh have dropped experienced allrounder Rumana Ahmed for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in one of five changes to the squad that had played in the Asia Cup in July. But there was a first call-up for uncapped top-order batter Taj Nehar.
Also among those selected, there was a recall for Sobhana Mostary, Shathi Rani, Fahima Khatun and Disha Biswas. Twenty-year-old allrounder Biswas, who had played in the Under-19 T20 World Cup in January-February 2023, was also picked for the senior T20 World Cup last year, although she is yet to make her Bangladesh debut.
Fahima, the experienced 32-year-old legspinner, has played 84 T20Is so far, 20 of which have come across the five T20 World Cups since 2014. However, she had lost her place in the squad recently when she struggled against India and Australia at home. After missing out on the Asia Cup, Fahima took six wickets in as many matches in the Women’s National Cricket League (NCL) T20 competition.
Meanwhile, opening batter Rani, whose five T20Is came last year, was the NCL’s leading run-scorer with 284 runs at a strike rate of 151.06. However, Rumana, a veteran of 87 T20Is, missed out after scoring just 55 runs in three innings at the NCL. Middle-order batter Mostary also had a tough time against India and Australia, and neither did she perform in the NCL, where she managed 103 runs in five innings. Mostary is also yet to score a fifty in 38 T20Is, but chief selector Sajjad Ahmed put her selection due to a lack of options at No. 3.
“She is a prospect. However, she hasn’t performed up to the mark,” Sajjad said. “We don’t really have a lot of options at No 3. We tried Ishma Tanjim, but she didn’t perform well, and she couldn’t do much in the NCL. That’s why we had to go to Sobhana Mostary.”
Apart from Rumana, the four others left out of the T20 World Cup are Rubya Haider, Shorifa Khatun, Sabikun Nahar and Ishma Tanjim. Sajjad said that despite an experience of 87 T20Is, they replaced Rumana with Nehar, as the former hasn’t batted in an aggressive manner of late.
“We selected Rumana in the Asia Cup, where, unfortunately, she didn’t perform,” he said. “She is a middle-order bat who isn’t batting the way that is needed in T20s.”
Bangladesh start their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign against Scotland in the first of the double-header fixtures on October 3, the opening day of the tournament.
Bangladesh squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
Nigar Sultana (capt), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswas
In: Sobhana Mostary, Fahima Khatun, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani and Disha Biswas
Out: Rumana Ahmed, Rubya Haider, Shorifa Khatun, Sabikun Nahar and Ishma Tanjim
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
