Bangladesh back Nigar Sultana led spin-heavy squad for Women’s T20 WC 2026

Bangladesh opted for a spin-dominated combination for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England, naming only two specialist pacers in the 15-member squad announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Marufa Akhter and Fariha Islam Trisna were the only fast bowlers included as the selectors leaned heavily towards spin options despite the tournament being scheduled in English conditions from June 12.

Top-order batter Taj Nehar returned to the T20I setup, while Sharmin Sultana missed out on selection for the global tournament. Eleven cricketers from Bangladesh’s previous T20 World Cup campaign retained their places in the side.

Spin over seam despite English conditions

Chief selector Sazzad Ahmed said the decision reflected the current structure of Bangladesh women’s cricket and the limited availability of reliable pace resources. Speaking to the reporters, Sazzad Ahmed said,

“The pace bowlers pipeline in Bangladesh is very narrow and at important moments they fall into injuries. Though England wickets are expected to be pace-friendly, the behaviour of the wickets in the recent past suggest that it is assisting the spinners like the sub-continent where the ball spins a lot. So taking the conditions into consideration, we have kept our faith on spinners and we must accept there are not many pacers in our pipeline."

The selection panel also restored Taj Nehar to address concerns surrounding Bangladesh’s scoring rate in the latter stages of innings. The management viewed her flexibility across batting positions as a key factor behind the move. He said,

“Sharmin Sultana was originally considered for the ODI format. On the other hand, Taj Nehar is a versatile player who can bat anywhere from No.1 to 6 and we believe that Taj Nehar can play an effective role in solving the team's problem of scoring runs, especially in the last 5 overs of the innings.”

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Batting concerns remain before departure

Bangladesh’s conservative batting approach also came under discussion during the squad announcement. Sazzad acknowledged the issue while admitting the team remains a work in progress ahead of the tournament. He said,

“Yes, the defensive batting approach is currently a major concern for the team while it is not possible to change it overnight, the selectors are working on solving this problem," adding that captain Nigar Sultana continues to manage injury concerns. He added

“Joty has the ability to dominate world-class (opponents) but she has been dealing with injuries for a long time. Had it not been for this injury she could have gone to a much higher level."

Bangladesh will leave for Edinburgh on May 25 for a preparatory tri-series involving Scotland and the Netherlands before heading to Loughborough for the official ICC warm-up fixtures.

Bangladesh squad for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Nigar Sultana Joty (Captain), Nahida Akter (Vice-Captain), Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Taj Nehar