Nahida Akter Supports Nigar Sultana Amid Batting Struggles Ahead of South Africa Match

Bangladesh left-arm spinner Nahida Akter has come out in support of captain Nigar Sultana despite the batter struggling for form in the ongoing Women’s World Cup 2025.

Sultana has managed just 27 runs from three innings so far, as Bangladesh has won only one of their first three matches. The team will face South Africa in their fourth match on Monday, October 13, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Following consecutive losses against England and New Zealand, Akter dismissed concerns over Sultana’s form, emphasizing the collective strength of the batting line-up.

“No, I don’t see it that way. We have other capable batters in the team. And our captain, Joty, always plays in a way that inspires us. I believe she’ll do better from the next match, if God wishes. Yes, I agree our batting collapsed. We’ve already discussed it with our batting coaches and among the players. We’ve been working on those weaknesses, and hopefully the batters will come back in the next match,” Akter said during the pre-match press conference.

She also expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back against South Africa.

“Obviously, we’ve already talked with our batters and bowlers and will have another team meeting. We know they are a strong side and won their last match, but we’ll try our best to perform well and do better in tomorrow’s match. Of course, we’re confident. Whenever we play, we play to win — no one comes here to lose. We did collapse in batting in previous matches, but we’re hopeful it’ll improve tomorrow,” she added.

Bangladesh currently sit sixth on the points table with two points from three matches. Led by Nigar Sultana, the team has put up competitive performances in their opening games and will be eager to register a win against South Africa to gain momentum in the tournament.