Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana responds to recent allegations of physical assault on junior players, denying any wrongdoing and addressing the claims with a cheeky remark. (Image Credit: X/Rakesh Choudhary)
Bangladesh women's cricket captain Nigar Sultana, known as Joty, has been accused of physically assaulting junior players multiple times by her former teammate Jahanara Alam. Alam claimed that Sultana "beats up the juniors a lot," including instances like slapping a teammate after calling her into her room. The allegations also comprise claims of a toxic team environment and favoritism towards certain players.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has strongly denied the allegations, terming these "baseless and fabricated." The Board said it has "complete trust and confidence" in Sultana, her leadership and management, adding that there is no evidence to support any of Alam's claims.
Sultana has fired back sharply, not only denying the accusations but also making a pointed reference to Indian cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur:
"Why would I hit anyone? I mean why would I strike the stumps with my bat? Am I Harmanpreet. that I would go around hitting the stumps like that?"
She added that while she might bang her bat or helmet privately, never would she touch someone else, and questioned why no complaints were raised with team management if the abuse was true.
Sultana's jibe at Harmanpreet Kaur is not just a joke, it's a loaded reference. In 2023, Harmanpreet made headlines during an India-Bangladesh series when she furiously smashed the stumps with her bat after being given out LBW.
By invoking Harmanpreet, Sultana appears to be contrasting her own behavior with that of a high-profile captain's controversial behavior and dismissing the assault claims as exaggerated or misrepresented.
Alam's allegations transcend a simple personality clash: She accused Sultana of instilling fear among junior players and said some are unwilling to speak up or remain with the team for fear of retaliation. She further said that a few senior teammates were complicit in a broader pattern of abuse and that favoritism is rampant.
If the allegations were true, they point to a deeper issue of leadership misuse and possible bullying within the Bangladesh women's team. But with the BCB having denied them, the controversy might just lead to divisions in the camp and questions about the handling of complaints in women's cricket.
Sultana's strong public denial and the invocation of another strong-willed captain in Harmanpreet Kaur could fuel further debate on accountability, team management, and the line separating firm captaincy and intimidation.
To date, there has not been any public announcement of a formal investigation into the physical assault claims themselves though the BCB has rejected them outright.
Separately, the board is investigating other serious allegations from Jahanara Alam, including claims of sexual harassment by board officials.
How these two lines of controversy evolve has big implications for the Bangladesh women's cricket team and its leadership structure going ahead.
