BCB Surprised as Nigar Sultana Steps Down as T20I Captain
Nigar Sultana has quit the Bangladesh T20I captaincy to focus on batting and keeping, and the BCB women’s wing chief says the move was a surprise.
By SportCricket Desk · 17 Sep 2026 · 2 min read
Bangladesh women’s cricket faces a leadership question after Nigar Sultana gave up the T20I captaincy, a decision the board admits it did not see coming.
The decision
Sultana emailed the BCB on September 15, two days before Bangladesh’s opening Asian Games match against China. She said she wants to concentrate on her batting and wicketkeeping, and she will stay on as ODI captain.
Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s wing, said he did not know why she suddenly chose to step down, as quoted by Cricbuzz. He said the board would have preferred to talk through any concerns beforehand, especially with the Asian Games under way, and that the matter will be discussed once the team returns.
Her record
Sultana became T20I captain in 2022 and led in 80 matches, with 32 wins, 47 defeats and one no result. A highlight came at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Bangladesh beat Scotland for their first win at that tournament in a decade. She scored 104 runs in four innings and made seven dismissals behind the stumps.
Bangladesh went unbeaten in the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers, but results later became inconsistent, including a 3-0 home series loss to Sri Lanka.
As of September 15, no successor had been named, and the board is expected to discuss the T20I leadership after the Asian Games.
