Bangladesh ‘can surprise any team when we perform as a whole unit’, says captain Nigar Sultana

Bangladesh women’s captain Nigar Sultana has expressed confidence that her side can challenge the best teams in the world when they play as a collective unit.

The squad has travelled to Brisbane for a three-match ODI series against Australia, the world’s top-ranked side in both ODIs and T20Is, with matches at Allan Border Field on October 9, 11 and 14, 2026. It is the first time Bangladesh women have played a bilateral ODI series on Australian soil.

“I think this is the format we play well. We have that potential in this format both at home and in overseas conditions. We have some specialist players who actually played this format really well. We really hope that we will try to execute our plans in the middle. It is all about the mindset, and we really want to play positive cricket here,” Sultana said, as quoted by Cricinfo.

What did Sultana say about inspiration from the men’s team?

Bangladesh’s men’s team drew a Test series in August 2026, and Sultana was asked whether that result would serve as motivation for the women’s side heading into a challenging overseas assignment against the top-ranked Australians. Sultana indicated that the squad draws collective belief from performances across Bangladesh cricket and intends to carry a similar competitive spirit into the ODI series.

“I think it’s pretty important to be in the present and we were really hoping that we can play as a whole unit because we believe that when we play as a team and perform as a whole unit, we can surprise any team,” she said.

Sultana’s remarks reflect the team’s intent to approach the series with a positive mindset rather than being overawed by the occasion or the opposition’s ranking. The captain’s emphasis on playing as a unit underlines the collective approach Bangladesh will need against a formidable Australian side at home.

What does new coach David Hemp bring to Bangladesh women?

Hemp, 55, was appointed Bangladesh women‘s head coach on a two-year contract running until September 2028, following a BCB announcement on September 30, 2026. He replaces Sarwar Imran, who had held the role since February 2025. The BCB has not disclosed any official reason for Imran’s departure.

Hemp arrives with considerable familiarity with both the Bangladesh setup and Australian conditions. He joined the Bangladesh Cricket Board in May 2023 as head coach of the High Performance programme, worked with the men’s team during the 2023 New Zealand tour and was appointed men’s batting coach in 2024. He also served as batting coach for the Bangladesh women’s side at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan and the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal.

Before joining BCB, Hemp coached the Pakistan women’s national team from 2020 to 2022 and also coached the Victoria women’s team and the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League, giving him direct experience of the Australian domestic cricket environment.

Sultana noted that the squad is looking forward to Hemp providing guidance on Australian conditions, given his playing and coaching background there. The series will serve as an early indicator of where the team stands under his leadership.

“He just joined us, and we are working with him for the last two tournaments for a short period of time. We got some ideas from him about what the pitch is going to be like, and how they will try to attack us. We are trying to practice in that way in the net session,” said Sultana.