Bangladesh top-order batter Sharmin Akhter Supta has been at the heart of her team’s recent success, especially during the ICC Women’s Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan, where she finished as the second-highest scorer with 266 runs in five matches. Her performance was pivotal in securing Bangladesh’s spot at the upcoming World Cup, only their second-ever appearance at the global stage.
As Bangladesh prepares for the tournament under Nigar Sultana Joty’s leadership, Sharmin spoke about the team’s build-up, the challenges of batting depth, the influence of specialist coaching, and her personal mindset heading into the biggest event of her career.
Sharmin reflected on how Bangladesh’s calendar did not allow many international matches ahead of the tournament. She credited the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for finding a unique solution by arranging competitive fixtures against age-group men’s teams.
“We had a gap in our FTP [Future Tours Programme] and that’s why they failed to organise competitive matches. All the big teams were already engaged. I think the BCB’s decision to arrange the Women’s Challenge Cup with the U-15 boys team was a very good move. They played brilliantly in the competition.
“We got the opportunity to play a few competitive matches here. We also played with the Sylhet division’s U-17 team before the series. Apart from that, the coaching staff are regularly working with us in the nets.”
The Bangladesh squad also benefitted from a short but impactful stint with power-hitting coach Julian Wood, who introduced new methods of generating power and mindset shifts for limited-overs cricket.
“He worked on how we can generate power and develop the correct mindset for T20s. He told us that 50-over cricket and T20 cricket is different. He told us how we can maintain a positive intent. But before that, we have to know how to play power shots and develop the belief that we can play the shots. It was a good session for us.”
Concerns have often been raised over Bangladesh’s batting strength, but Sharmin dismissed the idea that the side lacked depth. She emphasised the importance of top-order runs while highlighting the contributions from the lower order in recent tournaments.
“If top-order batters don’t score big, it becomes difficult for the middle or lower-order. When we play well at the top, the middle-order batters can play with a relaxed frame of mind. But I don’t believe that we lack in batting depth. Our No. 5, 6 batters and even our lower order has done really well in the qualifiers.”
For Sharmin, individual numbers matter less than making match-winning contributions. Her focus is clear—runs should translate into victories for Bangladesh, “I feel better scoring 30 runs in a winning cause than scoring a century in a losing cause.”
Bangladesh made their World Cup debut in New Zealand in 2022, finishing seventh out of eight teams and winning just one match. Supta believes this time will be more challenging but insists that the Tigresses will not simply be participants.
“Last time, we won one game, and of course, this time we will try to win more games. We qualified as the last team in the tournament, so we have to compete with the best seven teams in the World Cup. Definitely it will be really difficult, but we won’t go there only to participate.”
In 2025, Bangladesh have played eight international matches, winning four and losing four, including a 2-1 series defeat against West Indies in January. Their place in the World Cup was confirmed in April 2025, when they won three matches (against Thailand, Ireland, and Scotland) but lost two (against West Indies and Pakistan). Overall, she has represented Bangladesh in 46 ODIs, scoring 1129 runs.
With their preparations nearly complete, Bangladesh will test their readiness in two warm-up fixtures against Sri Lanka on 25th and 27th September before beginning their second-ever World Cup journey. For Sharmin Akhter Supta, the tournament is an opportunity to build on her stellar form, inspire her team at the top of the order, and prove that Bangladesh are not just there to make up the numbers.
(Quote sourced from The Daily Star)
