Jahanara Alam Opens Up About Emotional Turmoil During 2024 T20 World Cup

Former Bangladesh women’s cricket captain Jahanara Alam has opened up about the mental and emotional distress she experienced during the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, revealing that the traumatic environment ultimately led her to take a break from international cricket.

In a candid interview with Cricbuzz, Jahanara detailed how incidents during the tournament left her feeling like an outsider within her own team. “What I saw during the World Cup was completely unexpected. A junior player was mentally harassed in front of everyone. She was crying, yet was told mid-match, ‘Get off the field now.’ That kind of treatment is simply unacceptable.”

The veteran pacer explained that this wasn’t an isolated incident. "When there are budgets allocated for players’ mental health, how can such things still happen? It wasn’t just me—there were other helpless players who couldn’t even speak up. From the outside, no one would understand. I felt completely broken. I couldn’t sleep—when I did, I had nightmares.”

Jahanara revealed that this emotional burden had been building up for years, particularly over the last 18 months. “I’ve thought about quitting cricket three times—in 2009, 2020, and 2022. But when I was dropped in 2023, I was more determined than ever to return stronger. However, what happened during the World Cup crushed me completely.”

After the World Cup, she traveled to Australia for a break, where she found warmth, respect, and mental peace. “I went to Australia for just two weeks, but the kindness and respect I received made me rethink everything. I realized going back home might only worsen my mental state, so I chose to stay longer.”

While in Australia, she earned her Cricket Australia Level 2 coaching certificate, and says she now feels "99% mentally recovered." Looking ahead, she’s eager to resume playing domestic cricket and is also open to taking up coaching opportunities. “I'm not retiring just yet. I still want to play and contribute.”

Jahanara also expressed disappointment with the current culture inside the national team. “There’s no longer cricket talk in the dressing room. It’s all about conflicts and arguments. The friendship and mutual respect we once had seem to have disappeared.”

She clarified that her departure from the national team was voluntary. “I took a break myself—I wasn’t dropped. Now I’ll wait and see what opportunities lie ahead with the national side. But for now, I want to focus on putting myself back together.”