Bangladesh have swapped Taj Nehar for Sarmin Sultana in their Women’s squad for both the Asia Cup and the Asian Games. Chief selector Sazzad Ahmed Shipon confirmed the squad on August 17.
The change at the top
Nehar, 28, has scored 44 runs in eight T20Is and was dropped after limited returns at the top of the order. She was in the T20 World Cup squad in May and played one match in the July series against South Africa.
Sarmin, 32, is back in international cricket after seven years away. She returned in the home series against Sri Lanka in May 2026, scoring 42 runs across three WODIs and finishing unbeaten in the third WT20I. Selectors preferred Nehar to her for the T20 World Cup, so this marks a shift in thinking for the top order.
Asia Cup fixtures
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 starts on August 28 in Dubai, with every game at the Dubai International Stadium. Bangladesh are in Group B and open against Indonesia on August 31, then play Sri Lanka on September 6 and the UAE on September 8. The final is on September 13.
Asian Games
Cricket at the 20th Asian Games is in the T20I format. Bangladesh start with a quarter-final against China on September 17 at Korogi Athletic Park. A semi-final could be against India or Japan, and the bronze-medal match and gold-medal final are both on September 22.
Squad
Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter (vice-captain), Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sarmin Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Sultana Khatun, Shanjida Akther Maghla and Fariha Islam Trisna.
