Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty was seen in tears after their win in the opener clash of the Women's T20 World Cup. Bangladesh defeated Scotland by 16 runs in Sharjah. After over a decade, this was Bangladesh's first win in the marquee event.
Bangladesh set a modest target of 119-7 in their 20 overs, but their disciplined bowling attack kept Scotland to just 103-7, clinching a vital victory. Celebrating her 100th T20I match, Joty shared the team's excitement, highlighting the importance of this win for both the squad and Bangladeshi women’s cricket.
After defeating Scotland, Nigar revealed that this win is meaningful as Bangladesh originally planned to host the tournament. Still, widespread political unrest led to the event being moved to the UAE.
“A win after 10 years is very emotional. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Joty. “No matter how well we play, if we don’t win, it feels meaningless. This victory gives us momentum, and I feel it’s a step towards something bigger."
The win is even more meaningful as Bangladesh originally planned to host the tournament, but widespread political unrest led to the event being moved to the UAE. Despite the disappointment, Joty emphasized the team’s resilience, saying, "We’ve moved on from the heartbreak of not playing in front of our home crowd. We’re fortunate to be here, healthy, and representing our country.”
Bangladesh will stay in Sharjah to take on England in their next group match, while Scotland, making their debut in the T20 World Cup, will face the West Indies in Dubai.
