Nahida, Sobhana in race to replace Sultana as Bangladesh T20I skipper

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is already debating who will succeed Nigar Sultana as captain of the T20I team, with left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter and all-rounder Sobhana Mostary emerging as the front-runners.

Sultana has decided to step down as captain of Bangladesh's T20I team after the Asian Games, but he will still lead the ODI team. She sent an email to the board, explaining that she wanted to concentrate on her batting and wicketkeeping. Two days before Bangladesh's first Asian Games match against China, the development occurred.

Since taking over as captain in 2022, Sultana has led the T20I team. At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Bangladesh's victory over Scotland, their first World Cup victory in a decade, was one of the highlights of her tenure. During the tournament, Sultana also made a big impact with the bat and gloves, scoring 104 runs in four innings and getting seven runs out.

However, her captaincy in the shortest form has been questioned at various points. In the T20 World Cup qualifiers earlier in 2026, Bangladesh was unbeaten, but Sri Lanka won a home series 2-1. Before winning two of their five matches at the T20 World Cup, they also had mixed results in the Scotland-Netherlands tri-series.

Sources within the BCB have confirmed that when the board's top brass meet to select the next T20I captain, Nahida and Sobhana are likely to be among the names discussed.

Sources within the BCB have confirmed that when the board's top brass meet to select the next T20I captain, Nahida and Sobhana are likely to be among the names discussed.

He stated, "Taking into account their position in the shorter format, Nahida and Sobhana are strong contenders."

Although it is understood that the wicketkeeper-batswoman was dissatisfied with the manner in which she had been treated by the board in recent times, Sultana's decision caught the BCB off guard. Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women's wing, is known to have not spoken to Sultana prior to the controversy over the handshake during the Asia Cup semifinal against India.

Sultana's leadership has been the subject of scrutiny before. Jahanara Alam, a former cricketer for Bangladesh, had previously asserted that Sultana attempted to autocratically lead the team and abused players in the locker room.

It is also believed that Sultana's recent appearance was a factor in her decision. She has historically responded to criticism with her bat performances, but her returns in recent times have not been on the same level, making her susceptible to additional scrutiny following the Asian Games.

After the Asian Games, it is also expected that Bangladesh's coaching staff will change. It is anticipated that the current women's head coach, Sarowar Imran, will be replaced; David Hemp, a former head coach at Bangladesh High Performance, is believed to be the front-runner for the position. Hemp has also worked with the women's team in the past.

In addition to Nahida and Sobhana, BCB may want to think about training a younger leader for the future. Shorna Akhter, an all-rounder, and Rabeya Khatun, who previously led the A team, might be options. However, there is a sense within the board that it might be premature to assign either of them responsibility at this point.

Bangladesh will need to choose a new captain for the T20Is soon, and Sultana could lead the team for the last time on September 21 when they play India in the Asian Games semi-final in Japan.

The BCB's pool of experienced options for the shortest format appears limited, with Nahida and Sobhana currently emerging as the leading candidates. However, a win against India could add another dimension to the discussion regarding Sultana's T20I captaincy.