The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 was initially scheduled to take place in Bangladesh from October 3 to 20 this year. But due to security concerns, the event will now be held in the United Arab Emirates. Ahead of the World Cup, the Tigresses participated in a photo session on Tuesday, followed by a press conference at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, attended by skipper Nigar Sultana Joty.
During the press conference, Joty outlined the team's goals for the tournament. She said, "Apart from 2014, we haven't won a single match in the World Cup. I've played in four World Cups myself and so far I haven't won a match. My personal goal as well as the goal of the entire team, is to win a match in this World Cup."
Bangladesh will face Scotland in the opening match of the event on October 3. Joty emphasized the importance of winning that match to build momentum. "We want a winning start and to reach the semi-finals, we need to win not just against Scotland but also the other three matches. We will have a different plan for each team. If we focus on our opponents before each game and can execute our game plans, it will benefit us," she said.
The Girls in Green and Red have played four T20 matches against Scotland so far and have a 100% success rate. However, Joty is cautious about underestimating their Scottish counterparts and added, "They are playing good cricket regularly now. Every team comes to a World Cup expecting to play their best cricket. Our aim is to channel the hunger we've had for so long and finally secure a win in the World Cup."
Joty also spoke about the team's focus on strategy saying, "If we focus on each opponent before every match and execute our plans well, it will work in our favour. We've beaten South Africa in T20s on their home ground, while we've only met England in World Cups and haven't played them much, so they can be considered as new opponent. But it could also be challenging for them too. Besides, Sharjah is known for being spin-friendly and we have a strong spin attack. Anything can happen."
The match against Scotland will be a special one for Joty too as it will mark her 100th T20 international. She expressed her excitement and stated, "Personally, reaching my 100th match is a huge milestone. If I stay healthy and play this match, my goal will be to make it special and memorable for everyone."
The Tigresses are set to depart for the UAE today to compete in Group B of the tournament, where they will face Scotland, England, South Africa and the West Indies.
