BCB's shocking clarification on Nigar Sultana’s decision not to shake hands with Harmanpreet Kaur; captaincy remains uncertain

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken a shocking stance on Nigar Sultana’s not shaking hands with Harmanpreet Kaur incident. The BCB has distanced itself from the captain’s unsportsmanlike decision not to shake hands following their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 semi-final.

The incident took place after the match in Dubai on 10 September, in which India defeated Bangladesh to reach the final. Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s committee, made clear that the board had no role in the matter.

BCB's shocking clarification on Nigar Sultana’s decision not to shake hands with Harmanpreet Kaur

While it was expected to be a geopolitical matter, something unexpected happened as the board refused to take her side. The administration has made sure that it was rather an isolated act, as Babu revealed that not shaking hands was Sultana’s own idea. He said, as per a report in Cricbuzz:

"Of course, it was her own decision.”

Babu added:

"We believe sports bring the world together. We want friendly relations with all countries, not just India and so whatever she did was entirely her personal decision.”

While the board has sought to separate itself from the controversy, Sultana’s position as captain is under review. Babu confirmed that a decision on her leadership will be taken only after the conclusion of the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

The episode has added to ongoing discussions around on-field protocols between certain teams in recent international tournaments. Bangladesh were eliminated after losing to India by 40 runs while chasing 150. Meanwhile, Kaur’s side are in the final as they face Sri Lanka, who beat Pakistan, for the Asian Games title.

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