Bangladesh have excluded veteran all-rounder Rumana Ahmed from their squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has also named the uncapped duo of Taj Nehar and Disha Biswas in the squad announced on Wednesday as well. Apart from Rumana, Rubey Haider, Sharifa Khatun, Sabikun Nahar and Ishma Tanjim, who were part of the 2024 Asia Cup, also failed to find a place in the team for the mega-event, which is set to begin on October 3 as well.
However, all the five players who have been left had featured for Bangladesh in the Asia Cup as well but couldn’t do well as well. While Rabeya and Sharifa played a solitary game each, registering scores of 0 and 5 respectively, Sabikun got a couple of games, while Ishma and Rumana featured in four and three matches respectively as well.
Meanwhile, the selectors have recalled Shathi Rani, Fahima Khatun and Sobhana Mostary to the squad. While the former hasn’t featured in an international contest since September last year, Fahima and Mostary last played for Bangladesh in the series against India in May as well. However, Bangladesh, who had failed to reach the final of this year’s Asia Cup, are all set to begin their World Cup campaign against Scotland in Sharjah on October 3.
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They will also play against England, West Indies and South Africa on October 5, 10 and 12 respectively as well. Their first three games will take place in Sharjah before they head to Dubai for their last group-stage match as well.
“The way Rumana bats, it does not suit the requirements of T20 cricket,” BCB women’s wing chief selector Sazzad Ahmed told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday. “We have asked them whether they want to play a farewell game and they can join the board in various capacities,” added Sazzad.
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“Actually, Sobhana Mustary is one of the most talented players we have seen in recent years,” he said. “It is true that we have given her a lot of chance but at the same time, she has huge potential. She is not performing the way we are expecting but we don’t have many options at number three. In the Asia Cup, we tried out Ishma Tanjim, but she could neither do well there nor perform in the NCL. So we had to pick Sobhana Mustary. Apart from that, she can be used as a floater as she can open as well bat down the order.”
Squad: Nigar Sultana, 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
