Nahida New Captain of Women's T20 Team, Sobhana Vice-Captain
There has been a change of leadership in the T20 format of the Bangladesh women's cricket team. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made left-arm spinner Nahida Akter the captain of the T20 team for the next one year. The 26-year-old spinner has succeeded Nigar Sultana Jyoti, who recently stepped down from the leadership.
The BCB confirmed the matter in a press release on Sunday (October 18). At the same time, batter Sobhana Mostary has been made the team's vice-captain.
Nahida is one of the most experienced bowlers of the Bangladesh women's team. Since her debut in international cricket in 2015, she has so far played 113 T20 international matches.
Her record with the ball is also enviable. She has taken 132 wickets in T20 internationals. Nahida is the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh in women's T20 international cricket. Not only within the country — among the bowlers of the ICC's full member countries, her position in terms of number of wickets is fifth.
Sobhana Mostary, who has received the vice-captaincy, is 24 years old. Since her international debut in 2019, she has so far played 72 T20 matches.
Sobhana has also made her place with the bat. She has reached the milestone of one thousand runs in this format. She is the third batter among Bangladesh's women cricketers to achieve this feat — before her, Nigar Sultana Jyoti and Farzana Haque reached this milestone.
The backdrop to the leadership change is Jyoti's stepping down. After she recently stood down from the leadership, the BCB was looking for a new captain, and that responsibility ultimately went onto the shoulders of the team's most experienced bowler.
Under the new leadership, Bangladesh's next T20 challenge is the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy 2026. The tournament is scheduled to be held from November 12 to 25.
The Bangladesh women's team may take the field under new captain Nahida's leadership in this very tournament. Her first test in the one-year tenure will be in this tournament.
Those concerned see Nahida's appointment as natural in view of her experience and consistent performance. Now the thing to see is how far she can take the team forward in on-field leadership.
