Bangladesh have recalled top-order batter Taj Nehar to their squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, while Sarmin Sultana has been left out from the group that recently faced Sri Lanka in a home bilateral series.
Nigar Sultana will captain Bangladesh for a third consecutive T20 World Cup, having also led the side in the 2023 and 2024 editions. Bangladesh will begin their campaign on June 14.
Taj Nehar Returns to Squad
The 28-year-old Nehar has played eight T20Is for Bangladesh so far, scoring 44 runs. She has represented the national side only in the T20I format, with her last appearance coming against West Indies in January 2025.
Chief selector Sajjad Ahmed said Nehar was preferred because of her flexibility in the batting order.
“We were thinking of Sarmin Sultana for the one-day format. Taj Nehar is a versatile cricketer who can bat between No. 1 to No. 6 in the batting line-up,” he said. “The selectors believe that Nehar can solve the problem of scoring quick runs in the last five overs.”
Experience Core Retained
Bangladesh have retained several experienced players for the tournament. Fahima Khatun is set to appear in her seventh T20 World Cup, having been part of every edition since 2014.
Vice-captain Nahida Akter, Ritu Moni and Nigar Sultana have been regular members of the squad since the 2016 edition. In the current group, 11 players also featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the UAE.
Form and Preparation
Bangladesh enter the tournament after a difficult home series against Sri Lanka, where they were beaten 3-0. That result followed a strong run in the World Cup qualifiers, where they had won seven matches in a row.
The team will leave for Edinburgh on May 25 to play a tri-series involving Scotland and the Netherlands. After that, they will travel to Loughborough for their T20 World Cup warm-up fixtures.
Bangladesh are placed in Group 1 alongside the Netherlands, Australia, Pakistan, India and South Africa. Their first match will be against the Netherlands at Edgbaston on June 14.
Bangladesh Squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter (vice-capt), Sharmin Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akter, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter (wk), Juairiya Ferdous, Taj Nehar.
