Joty steps down as Bangladesh T20 captain to focus on batting

In a bid to focus on her bating, Nigar Sultana Joty has decided to step down as captain of Bangladesh's women's T20 team after the Asian Games, ending a four-year spell in charge of the side.

The wicketkeeper-batter has informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of her decision, saying she wants to devote more attention to her batting and overall game.

"I feel like I have a lot more to give to the country or the team as a batter and a cricketer. So, I want to pay a little attention to that, that's why I made this decision," Joty said after Bangladesh's 114-run defeat to India in the Asian Games semifinal on Sunday at Nagoya, Japan.

Joty took over the T20 captaincy in 2022 and has led Bangladesh in 81 matches, winning 32 and losing 48. During her tenure, Bangladesh won its first ever match in a T20 World Cup when they defeated Scotland in the 2024 edition of the tournament.

Her batting form has been mixed in recent months. At the 2026 T20 World Cup, she scored 36 against Pakistan, an unbeaten 32 against South Africa, 27 against Australia and 32 against India. She also made 36 against Pakistan in another key match during the tournament.

At the 2026 Asia Cup, however, Joty scored just 56 runs in four matches-10 against Indonesia, 4 against Sri Lanka, 23 against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 19 against India in the semifinal.

Bangladesh had earlier gone unbeaten in the global qualifying tournament for the 2026 T20 World Cup and secured victories over the Netherlands and Pakistan in the main tournament.

The team subsequently endured a home defeat to Sri Lanka, failed to achieve the expected results in a tri-nation series involving Scotland and the Netherlands, and exited the Asia Cup in the semifinals.

Apart from focusing on her batting and wicket-keeping, Joty, however, continues to lead Bangladesh in the ODI format.    �"BSS