Bangladesh T20I Captaincy: Bangladesh women’s cricket captain Nigar Sultana Joty is set to step down as the team’s T20I captain after the 2026 Asian Games. The wicketkeeper-batter has informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) about her decision, bringing an end to her four-year stint as the leader in the shortest format.
Nigar sent an email to the BCB from Japan on Tuesday, September 15, formally informing the board that she does not want to continue as T20I captain after the Asian Games. She is, however, expected to remain in charge of Bangladesh’s ODI team.
The decision came just before Bangladesh begin their Asian Games campaign. The women’s T20 competition in Aichi-Nagoya is scheduled to start on September 17, with Bangladesh among the teams competing for a medal.
Bangladesh T20I captaincy: Nigar wants to focus on batting and wicketkeeping
The main reason behind Nigar’s decision is understood to be her desire to reduce the workload that comes with leading the T20I side.
As captain, Nigar has had to handle leadership responsibilities while also opening or batting in the middle order and keeping wickets. She now wants to put greater attention on her own performances with the bat and behind the stumps.
Her decision does not mean she is walking away from international leadership. She will continue as Bangladesh’s ODI captain, a role she has held since 2021. She took charge of the T20I side in 2022.
BCB women’s wing chairman Rafiqul Babu confirmed that Nigar had informed the board about her plans. He also indicated that the timing of the decision had surprised some officials because the team is currently in Japan preparing for the Asian Games. The board is expected to discuss the matter in greater detail after the team returns home.
Nigar’s record as Bangladesh T20I captaincy
Nigar leaves the T20I captaincy after building one of the strongest leadership records in Bangladesh women’s cricket.
She has led Bangladesh in 80 T20Is since taking over in 2022, winning 32 matches. One of the biggest moments of her captaincy came at the 2024 T20 World Cup, when Bangladesh defeated Scotland to register their first victory in a Women’s T20 World Cup match in 10 years.
Nigar also made a useful contribution as a player during that tournament, scoring 104 runs in four innings and completing seven dismissals as wicketkeeper.
Her record also includes a strong start to 2026. Bangladesh went through the T20 World Cup Qualifiers unbeaten under her leadership. However, the team’s results became less consistent later in the year. Bangladesh lost a home T20I series against Sri Lanka and had mixed results in the tri-series involving Scotland and the Netherlands. They then won two of their five matches at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Asia Cup exit added to the pressure
The pressure around Nigar’s T20I captaincy increased after Bangladesh’s campaign at the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup.
Bangladesh reached the semi-finals after finishing second in Group B. They survived a scare against the United Arab Emirates in their final group match, winning by 34 runs to secure their place in the last four.
Their campaign ended with a 40-run defeat against India in the semi-final on September 10. Bangladesh struggled with both bat and ball, while India finished strongly to post 149 for six.
The batting has been a particular concern for Bangladesh in the format. The team has struggled to chase or cross bigger totals consistently, and the issue became more visible during the Asia Cup.
Nigar herself remains Bangladesh’s leading T20I run-scorer. According to The Daily Star, she has scored 2,709 runs in the format at an average of 27.36 and a strike rate of 93.34, including 13 fifties and one century.
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Who could replace Nigar as T20I captain?
The BCB has not officially announced Nigar’s successor yet.
Reports have suggested that experienced all-rounder Nahida Akter is among the leading candidates for the T20I captaincy, while Sobhana Mostary has been mentioned as a possible vice-captain. These names, however, remain reports rather than confirmed BCB appointments.
For now, Nigar is expected to lead Bangladesh through the Asian Games before handing over the T20I captaincy. Her decision will give the BCB an opportunity to build a new leadership group for the shortest format while allowing Nigar to concentrate on her batting, wicketkeeping and ODI responsibilities. The next captain will also inherit a side that needs to improve its batting consistency and ability to handle higher targets in T20 cricket.
