In 2023, Bangladesh reached unprecedented heights in women’s cricket, and skipper Nigar Sultana Joty was the driving force behind this ascent. Jyoti spoke about her incredible 2023 and her goals for 2024 when The Daily Star’s Ekush Tapader met up with her as a new year dawns with fresh opportunities and challenges.
Below are some quotes from the interview :
The Star Daily (DS): How do you think the team will do in 2023?
Nigar Sultana Joty (NSJ): In terms of women’s cricket, 2023 was a noteworthy year. The fact that we were playing often is crucial. Positive outcomes were also obtained. Additionally, there were a few outstanding solo performances. I believe that women’s cricket benefited greatly from 2023. This has been one of our greatest years ever, in my opinion. We played excellent cricket and had a lot of matches.
DS: What goals do you have for 2024?
NSJ: It’s not possible for 2024 to go precisely like 2023. Everything is dependent on our level of initiative. It’s World Cup year as well. We play all of our games at home this year, which is another important factor. We naturally wish to do well in our living environment. How well we prepare will determine how well we perform. The crew from Australia will arrive at the end of March. Against Australia, we have never engaged in a bilateral series. We can surprise them since this will be our first series against them. Now, all the ladies think that anything is possible if we can play as a team. In the past, we lacked that conviction, which is why as a squad we weren’t doing well. While there were a few outstanding individual performances, the group efforts were still unsatisfactory. I think that we shall experience tremendous things in 2024. Should we maintain the level of consistency we shown in 2023, the next year presents a fantastic prospect for us.
DS: You had won against India at home the previous year. Do you think you can defeat Australia when they visit later this year in light of this?
NSJ: Everyone is resilient under their own circumstances. Nevertheless, I would prefer that the games be played on a decent pitch so that us batsmen can score some runs and the bowlers can profit. At home, everyone views us as formidable opponents. They won’t take us lightly, given our past results. We can play better cricket against Australia if we execute our game plan and perform better as a team on any given day. I have no idea whether we will succeed or fail. But I think that excellent cricket should be played. There would be no advantage to our cricket if we win a match by making 100 runs and bowling the opposition out for 80. I want both sides to play competitive cricket. They should also feel that we gave them a hard time considering we are the seventh-ranked squad and they are the first.
DS: After the trip to South Africa, what did you learn?
NSJ: To begin with, we had never triumphed in a match played in South Africa. Our triumphs on this trip were a great accomplishment. We did, however, have the chance to do something much more significant—winning the ODI and T20 series. We performed at our best during the first Twenty20 and ODI of the series. It was a major accomplishment for us to score 250 in the ODI and 150 in the T20s, particularly considering that South Africa is a highly competitive team. We had been on trips there before and had come home empty handed. This time, the tour gave us something, but we also got the chance to get something much better. We are excellent in one-day internationals, but we could have brought home a significant victory if we had performed a bit better. Nevertheless, I believe that we now know how to succeed. However, we still need to develop the ability to prevail on a regular basis and maintain composure in games that decide series—not only at home but also outside of Bangladesh.
DS: The club still has trouble scoring huge runs away from home, despite a few batters scoring runs in South Africa. How do you feel about that?
NSJ: You are aware of how challenging it is to keep up a strong strike rate in Asian nations. I don’t have to explain (laughs). The game alters when we are playing on a good surface. Asia has spin-friendly wickets, so you have to think about a lot of things before you play a shot. The pitches in South Africa were real wickets, with a constant bounce. It is possible to use this—batters not scoring runs in away conditions—to explain this, but I don’t want to use it as an excuse. You will see a similar pattern if you compare the strike rates of men’s team cricket players in Asia and outside of Asia. The wickets are typically accurate in India. However, it’s difficult to even maintain a strike rate of 100 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. even the challenges faced by the men’s cricket squad. We have an even harder time with that since we don’t play many power shots. Our batting is not getting better for a large part of the reason. We are putting quite a lot of effort into our batting. We are still having difficulty. We need to understand why we are fighting. For the most part, we play cricket at home. Our strike rate is impacted by this. I can’t believe how low my strike rate is!
Ever since coming back from South Africa, everyone has felt more positive. In ODIs, Pinky (Fargana) always performs well. Shamima (Akter) is scoring often, while Murshida (Khatun) is playing well. Our four best hitters were among the runs in South Africa. The batters are being worked on by Hasan sir. He examined our statistics and determined the reason for our losses, despite the fact that our bowlers were consistently keeping the opposition to a low total. We now know how to score runs even while facing home pitches. However, if we had had better wickets, it would have been great.
DS: So you’d prefer wickets at home, where the hitters have more freedom to make runs?
NSJ: There’s no doubt about that. Cricket has evolved significantly; these days, runs are everything. How can you hope to score 300 runs on a large stage if you don’t have the practice of doing so? In T20s, we now score between 130 and 140. We have prevailed in games even with a mere 110 points. You need to record 150 runs to compete in ICC competitions. How can you expect your bowlers to perform if they don’t? Both departments are given a great deal of attention during ICC tournaments. India is producing high totals because they are making sporting wickets. They consistently score more than 250 in ODIs. Because the pitches in T20s are batting-friendly, they are scoring 170-180. Fans are more inclined to tune in when the hitters are scoring more runs. Will the crowds come to watch us play if we don’t put up high scores? Why do we have to pay 80 or 100 for a bundle? We need to locate the issue’s origin.
DS: Could you share your thoughts about Nahida’s performance this year?
NSJ: In 2015, Nahida and I joined the national team together. We spend a lot of time together and are very close. In 2021, she initially shown signs of adulthood. She was just a regular bowler before that. She is now really exceptional. She is much more mature, has excellent match reading skills, and is well-versed in her game. She is now a vital component of the group.
DS: With seasoned players like Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, and Jahanara Alam set to leave, the squad is undergoing a change. What do you think of this change?
NSJ: The team management consistently emphasizes the necessity to fortify the pipeline if we want to advance as a unit. Pushing one another makes us want to do better. I may not be in the squad tomorrow, but I’m in it now. No one can predict what the future holds. Possessing alternatives increases the incentive to do well. This encourages improved performance. We must have a large number of players on the bench due to the rising amount of games. Nobody is able to play all the time. There’s a limit to what the human body can take. We thus need backups. We are fortunate to have a few young players joining us. There are three: Rabeya (Khatun), Shorna (Akter), and Marufa (Akter). Sumaiya, a new player, is also present. They can provide long-term service to the national team if we can mentor them adequately.
DS: As a hitter, what goals do you have for 2024?
NSJ: My 2023 was a complete bust. It doesn’t satisfy me at all. I was unable to meet the expectations that my team had of me. In some matches, I succeeded in doing so, but in others, I failed. You won’t be able to do much for your squad if you are not a reliable hitter. For me, 2023 was a bust year in that regard. I am and will continue to put in a lot of effort. I am aware that there are high expectations for me. My goal is to succeed in 2024. It gives the other hitters greater confidence, even if I stay undefeated at one end. I want to routinely score runs. We have a far better chance of winning if I can do it. I was also informed by our analyst that the team wins when I score runs. I therefore recognize how crucial it is that I be among runs.
DS: You were still Bangladesh’s top run scorer in the T20s this season.
NSJ: I’m still not happy.
DS: What role do you think women’s sports play in this nation?
NSJ: It seems like a lot has changed. I used to believe that women’s sports didn’t really interest people. However, women’s football is becoming quite popular. The female football players are thriving as well. The improvement made by women is also seen in other sports. Women’s sports are given the same priority as men’s sports overseas. Although I’m not sure whether men’s and women’s sports get the same attention, things have significantly improved.
DS: A few nations have chosen to compensate men’s and women’s teams equally.
NSJ: It has occurred in some locations, but not all of them. The men’s and women’s teams in India get almost identical rewards from their boards. I’m not sure whether Bangladesh would see anything similar. In addition to our many constraints, we also have some mental health issues. What harm can there yet be in holding onto hope? Bangladeshi women athletes are excelling and winning medals for their nation. However, respect is the most important thing to us. We want respect more than large sums of money. We want a sense of significance. We want to confirm that we are being given priority. In every sport, women want to be treated with the same dignity as men.
DS: As a captain, how would you rank yourself?
NSJ: My team has helped me go thus far. I could not have progressed as far as I have if my team had not shown faith in me. All the credit should go to the management and the team members. Their trust extends beyond the field. I make an effort not to lie to myself. I want opportunities for everyone. Many are afraid to speak out in order to protect their reputation. That’s not who I am. I express what I think. I don’t even spare my seniors when I have to reprimand my teammates. Everyone interprets what I say favorably. Everyone is there for one another. I am thankful to my team for this reason.
DS: Regarding the team, what is your dream?
NSJ: It’s appropriate that we choose not to participate in the ICC ODI Super League, where each game is crucial. We are not interested in participating in the ODI World Cup qualification in 2025. We want to immediately qualify. We want to go up to sixth position from our present seventh. We want to maximize our level of safety. Three ODI series will be played between us and Australia, Ireland, and the West Indies. Beating Australia or the West Indies will give us eight points. That’s what we all want to see.
In front of our home supporters, Bangladesh will host the next Twenty20 World Cup. Everybody on the planet will be staring at us. The women’s cricket squad from Bangladesh has a great potential here. We will become more concentrated if we can do well. People will be more engaged in international cricket, and we will regard it with more respect. Playing well in the T20 World Cup is our aim. During the most recent T20 World Cup, we have not won a single game. This time around, we really want to win some games.