Joty emphasizes Tigresses' dedication ahead of World Cup Qualifiers

The Nigar Sultana Joty-led Bangladesh women's team is set to face formidable opponents like West Indies and Pakistan in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup Qualifiers. Despite the challenge, Joty remains confident in their ability to compete against top teams and emphasized the significance of the tournament. With only two qualification spots available in the six-team competition, the stakes are high, but she remains optimistic.

"I believe both teams are beatable as we have secured victories against them before," Joty stated during a press conference in Mirpur today. Although Bangladesh recently lost an ODI series against West Indies in January, she highlighted that their victory in one of the matches has given them confidence.

"Perhaps we play against Pakistan more frequently than West Indies, but our recent win in the Caribbean boosts our morale," she added.

Joty acknowledged the challenges ahead but stressed the importance of building momentum early. "We will face Scotland and Ireland before playing against West Indies and Pakistan, so gaining momentum from the start is crucial. While Pakistan has the advantage of home conditions, if we perform well as a team and our batters put up good scores, we know our bowlers will step up," she said.

To prepare for the qualifiers, the team trained through the Eid festivities, prioritizing their commitment to the tournament. "We didn’t visit our families for Eid and continued training because we understand the significance of this event. Playing in an ICC tournament brings global attention and various opportunities. After qualifying for the last ODI World Cup, our number of matches increased, benefiting us both in terms of recognition and financial stability."

Joty further emphasized the importance of qualification for the growth of women's cricket in Bangladesh. "We did everything possible to prepare, even practicing under lights since two of our matches will be played in similar conditions. Every player is fully dedicated, and we are making the most of our time before traveling. We also have practice matches lined up before the main tournament."

The Tigresses will kick off their campaign against Thailand on April 10.