Former Bangladesh women’s pacer Jahanara Alam has made serious allegations against national captain Nigar Sultana and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), accusing the captain of physically assaulting junior players and creating a toxic team environment. The claims come in the wake of Bangladesh’s disappointing campaign at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, where the team finished seventh out of eight sides.
Alam, 32, who has represented Bangladesh in 52 ODIs and 83 T20Is and claimed 108 wickets across formats, told Bangladesh-based newspaper Kaler Kantho that junior players regularly face physical abuse. “This is nothing new. Joty beats up the juniors a lot… even during this World Cup, the juniors told me, ‘No, I won’t do this again. Then I’ll have to get slapped again,’” she alleged, highlighting a culture of fear within the national squad.
In addition to claims of physical abuse, Alam raised concerns about favouritism and internal politics in the women’s setup, alleging that senior players were systematically sidelined while some received preferential treatment. She also shared her personal struggles, noting that she was removed from post-COVID camps and central contracts due to mental health reasons, and her return to international cricket remains uncertain amid the ongoing controversy.
