Bangladesh in UAE under Nahida, campaign begins with Pakistan clash

Staff Reporter, Dhaka Bangladesh women's cricket is entering a new chapter. Ending Nigar Sultana Joty's tenure as T20 captain, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has handed the leadership to spinner Nahida Akter. At the same time, the board announced a 15-member final squad for the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy to be held in the United Arab Emirates. The squad leaves Dhaka for the UAE on 10 November, and Bangladesh begin their campaign against Pakistan on 12 November at 3:15 pm Bangladesh time — 1:15 pm local time in the UAE, with the two-hour time difference meaning a midday start. End of Nigar's era Nigar took the decision to step down from T20 captaincy after the recent Asia Cup. The long-serving wicketkeeper-batter is now part of the past as captain. But the reasoning behind the change is still not public. Neither her personal explanation, nor an official BCB statement, nor any stated reason for stepping aside has come out. That information gap may add pressure on the new captain, since fans and media alike will want to know why the leadership changed. What is clear is that Nigar has not been dropped. Her name is in the announced 15-member squad. She will play the tournament as a regular cricketer, using her experience to stand beside younger players. A former captain's presence can help the dressing room, but it is also a test for the new leadership. Confidence in Nahida Nahida Akter is known as one of the team's most reliable bowlers. Now the responsibility of leading the side from the front falls on her. This is the start of her captaincy career; whether she has led age-group or domestic sides before was not clarified in the announcement. Her international experience and disciplined performances are understood to be the basis of the decision. Sobhana Mostari remains vice-captain. A natural question arises: when there is a vice-captain, why was Nahida chosen instead? The announcement offers no answer. The board may be planning long-term, or seeking a different balance, but no public explanation has been given. A major blow in team composition The big setback before the tournament is the injury to pacer Marufa Akter. She is out of the squad. The absence of a bowler of her quality will significantly affect the new-ball attack. The nature of the injury, its severity and a possible return date were not disclosed. Losing a key player to injury before a major event means pressure to find an alternative bowling combination. Sharmin Akter, meanwhile, has made the list. The experienced campaigner's presence is expected to add strength to the middle order and the bowling unit. Grouping Ten teams are taking part, split into two groups of five. The line-up includes five full-member nations and five associate members, which fits a ten-team structure. Bangladesh's group includes Pakistan and Thailand. Group A is understood to feature Ireland, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and hosts UAE. Schedule and travel The squad departs for the UAE on 10 November. There is little time for practice — the first match comes almost immediately, so adapting to conditions will be the main challenge. The opener against Pakistan could set the tone for the team's confidence. What remains unclear Several questions around the tournament are unanswered. First, it is described as a new event, yet Thailand are referred to as defending champions. If this is the first edition, no team can be defending champion; if Thailand really are holders, the previous edition needs explaining. Second, it is not clear whether matches will be T20 or 50-over. Since the captaincy change concerns the T20 side, that answer becomes more important. Third, how many teams advance from the group stage, whether semi-finals and a final will be played, and the final's date are all missing from the announcement. Final word This is a chance for a fresh start. Under Nahida, giving emerging talents a look while relying on senior figures will matter equally. The Pakistan and Thailand matches will largely shape Bangladesh's group-stage fate. Before that, however, the format, knockout rules and full schedule need clarity — otherwise the fans' expectations will remain vague. A new captain, a former captain in a new role and an injured frontline pacer: Bangladesh's battle in the UAE will be built around those three equations.