Nigar Sultana disappointed to not be playing a 'home World Cup'

Bangladesh Women's skipper Nigar Sultana said that she is disappointed not to play the T20 Women's World Cup 2024 at home as the recent shift to UAE will now deprive them from the pride of playing the global event in front of a passionate local crowd.

The International Cricket Council recently decided to move the World Cup venue from Bangladesh to UAE due to travel restrictions of several countries amid the political crisis in the subcontinental country.

"For the last two days I was really sad and today I seemed a bit free because a lot of people tried to make me understand [the switch] in different ways," Nigar told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium when her attention was drawn to the recent development.

"To be honest I was really hurt and that from the core of my heart. I had a lot of dreams and not only me it was the same for all the players because it is not only us who were waiting to play the World Cup in our country but along with us our family also waited for it, like our friends, fans or our close ones," she said.

"They were preparing in a different ways for this World Cup. As a player what I feel is that I missed the chance of having the pride of playing the World Cup in front of the home crowd. We are deprived of earning that pride," she added.

Nigar said she is excited that a cricketer has been elected as the president of Bangladesh Cricket Board as she feels that Faruque Ahmed is well aware of the needs of cricketers, being an ex-player himself.

Faruque, who is the first BCB president to have played any competitive cricket, represented Bangladesh in seven ODIs between 1988 and 1999. He also served BCB as chief selector on two terms.

"I think as he is elected as the board president certainly those who were there had taken his experience into consideration. I think it will be helpful for the players as he know what we need, and for that I am happy," said Nigar.

"Look it will take some time because when he will start working can we understand how good he is for us and what is likely to happen. Because he played cricket so I can say that he is well aware what the obstacles are that we usually face. Earlier he worked as a selector and long time ago he was also in women's selection and at that point I was in the camp for the first time and not as important player so he might not remember me from that time," she said.

"He has the experience, and more or less the people who will work for the benefit of cricketers they will be welcomed by the cricketers. They have played cricket and they are aware of what is required because there are certain needs of an international cricketer and what kind of preparation can help a cricketer perform at international level, [those things] no one will know better than a cricketer himself. So, definitely, who are involved in cricket if they come forward to work for the cricketers, it is all the better," she added.