Now Is the Time to Think About the Future, Jyoti on the World Cup

Another edition of the T20 World Cup is set to begin as per schedule, but Bangladesh’s men’s team will not be part of it. At a time when the red and green were expected to be represented on the global stage of bat and ball, reality tells a different story. Amid that void, however, Bangladesh’s women’s cricket team has returned as a ray of hope, securing a ticket to the World Cup main round.

The men’s T20 World Cup will get underway in just three days. Yet instead of preparing on the international stage, Bangladesh’s male cricketers are currently busy fine-tuning their skills in a domestic T20 tournament. In contrast to the men’s absence from the World Cup, the women cricketers have successfully ensured their place on the world stage.

The next edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will be held in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5. To qualify for that tournament, the Bangladesh women’s team traveled to Nepal to take part in the qualifiers. Under the leadership of captain Nigar Sultana Jyoti, Bangladesh delivered a dominant performance, winning all seven matches to become unbeaten champions and confirm their place in the main round.

After completing the qualifiers, the Bangladesh women’s team returned home from Nepal on Monday night (February 2). Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, captain Nigar Sultana Jyoti spoke to the media. Alongside discussing the women’s team’s success, the inevitable topic of the men’s team missing out on the World Cup also came up, which she described as disappointing.

Reflecting on the feeling of not being able to play on a stage like the World Cup, Jyoti said,
“Of course, playing in a World Cup is a very big thing for a player. There are many reasons behind not being able to play there. Obviously, it feels bad. But at this time, it’s actually better not to talk about these things. What is happening now is something we have no option but to accept. In my opinion, now is the time to think about the future.”

Emphasizing the need to face reality and look ahead, the Bangladesh women’s captain reiterated that there is no alternative to accepting the present challenges. In that context, she said,
“Now we have to look at reality. What is happening is something we have no choice but to accept. I feel that thinking about the future is what matters most right now.”

While the success of the women’s team offers a renewed story of hope, Jyoti’s words reflect a message of moving forward by acknowledging reality.