Bangladesh have faltered during their T20 World Cup preparations and, in the tougher side of the draw, their biggest challenge will be scoring points.
Bangladesh ended their 10-year wait for a third T20 World Cup win in 2024 when they beat Scotland in the opener of a tournament they were supposed to host, only for a civil unrest at home to force the ICC to move the competition to the UAE. They went on to lose their remaining three games and were knocked out of the group stage, a fate they have faced in every edition sine their maiden appearance in 2014.
Bangladesh booked their spot in the 2026 World Cup by winning the qualifiers earlier this year in Nepal, winning all seven games. They beat all three of their fellow qualifiers, Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland, at the tournament; the latter the most handsomely - a 90-run win after they posted 191, their biggest total in the two-year cycle since the last World Cup.
But they then went on a five-match losing streak; Sri Lanka clean swept them in a three-T20I series before back-to-back defeats to Scotland and Netherlands to start the triseries in Edinburgh. They roared back to form, however, beating both the sides to finish the series strongly.
A 13-run win in an eight-over affair against the Dutch was the highlight: they aggregated 98 runs, scoring at 12.25 per over - only once have they batted quicker in a WT20I ever. They also scored over 150 in two of their four matches of the series when they had managed to cross the mark only once since December 2024 outside the qualifiers. The faced more difficulties in their warm-ups, losing comprehensively to New Zealand and by 11 runs to Ireland.
Netherlands and Pakistan realistic targets in the group stage
Nigar Sultana and Co. have a herculean task at hand, with favourites South Africa, India and Australia all in their group. This would also be their first time playing in England, and they have only played West Indies and Sri Lanka among the full-member nations since the last World Cup, losing all six matches.
But the tournament’s expansion to 12 teams gives them the opportunity to match their best-ever win tally at a T20 World Cup of two, with Netherlands and Pakistan the other two sides in the group. Bangladesh have won two of their last three matches against both those teams (they last played a WT20I against Pakistan in 2023). They have never won more than one group game at a T20 World Cup.
Hopes lie in tight bowling unit
Though Bangladesh have built their identity on spin, their pace-bowling unit, led by Marufa Akhter, is also strong. Akhter will have Ritu Moni and Fariha Islam for company, with Moni and Akhter particularly impressing in the warm-ups against New Zealand and Ireland.
Vice-captain Nahida Akter and Shanjida Akther Maghla with their left-arm spin, off-spinner Sultana Khatun, leg-spinner Fahima Khatun, and leg-spinning all-rounders Shorna Akter and Rabeya Khan, the latter their top wicket-taker over the last two years, will form the spin attack.
Captain Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary, two of their top three run-scorers in WT20Is, will lead the batting unit. Dilara Akter’s role at the top of the order would be crucial for Bangladesh as she could score quickly to give them a solid start before the experienced campaigners in the middle order take over.
Bangladesh squad at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup
Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Marufa Akter, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Sultana Khatun, Dilara Akter, Juairiya Ferdous, Taj Nehar.
Bangladesh schedule at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup
All timings local
June 14, 10.30am: v Netherlands, Birmingham
June 17, 10.30am: v Australia, Leeds
June 20, 2.30pm: v Pakistan, Southampton
June 25, 2.30pm: v India, Manchester
June 28, 10.30am: v South Africa, Manchester
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