Nigar Sultana’s Handshake Snub Of Harmanpreet Kaur: Why Is Her Bangladesh Captaincy Under Review?

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana’s decision to skip the customary handshake with India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur before their Women’s Asia Cup semi-final was a personal choice and was not directed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the board has clarified.

Nigar did not shake hands with Harmanpreet during the toss before India secured a 40-run victory over Bangladesh to enter the final. The incident quickly attracted attention, particularly against the backdrop of recent handshake-related controversies involving India and Pakistan.

However, the BCB has distanced itself from the gesture and maintained that there was no official directive asking the Bangladesh captain to avoid the customary pre-match greeting.

Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s committee, stressed that the board remains committed to maintaining friendly relations with cricketing nations.

“Of course, it was her own decision (not to shake hands with Harmanpreet),” Babu was quoted as saying by TOI. “We believe sports bring the world together. We want friendly relations with all countries, not just India and so whatever she did was entirely her personal decision.”

BCB makes its stance clear

The comments from Babu indicate that Nigar’s decision was not part of any broader policy adopted by Bangladesh cricket.

The incident took place at a time when the customary handshake has become a contentious issue in India-Pakistan cricket. Indian captains have previously avoided handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

Nigar’s decision to follow a similar course of action against India therefore drew considerable attention. The BCB, however, has made it clear that the captain acted independently and that there was no board-level instruction behind the move.

The focus has now shifted towards Nigar’s position as captain, with the BCB set to review her leadership after the Asian Games.

Nigar’s future to be reviewed

Babu also disclosed that complaints have been made against Nigar over alleged misconduct. The board plans to assess the matter after Bangladesh complete their Asian Games campaign.

The BCB women’s committee chairman said the issue of Nigar’s performance and the complaints against her had already been discussed with the board president.

“We have discussed the thing (performance and complaint) in total with the board president and since they are in Asian Games we will assess the situation after the conclusion of the games,” Babu was quoted as saying by TOI.

The board will first assess Bangladesh’s performance at the Asian Games before deciding on the next course of action.

“First, we will see how the team performs at the Asian Games, then decide what needs to be done,” Babu added, according to TOI.

The development suggests that Nigar’s future will be evaluated on the basis of both Bangladesh’s performances and the complaints against her, rather than the handshake controversy alone.

Bangladesh knocked out by India

The captaincy uncertainty comes after Bangladesh’s Women’s Asia Cup campaign ended in the semi-final against India.

After India posted 150, Bangladesh struggled during their chase and were eventually bowled out, falling 40 runs short of the target.

Babu admitted that Bangladesh still have several areas to address, particularly when facing the stronger teams in international cricket.

“There are many shortcomings in the team. We have not been able to beat the bigger teams. We played well in the World Cup too but lost because of small mistakes,” Babu was quoted as saying by TOI.

The BCB official said efforts are underway to build a stronger and more competitive Bangladesh side.

“We are working to make the team stronger and more competitive. After the Asian Games we will decide what can be done,” he added, according to TOI.

For now, the BCB has separated Nigar’s handshake decision from its wider review of her leadership. Her future as Bangladesh captain is expected to become clearer after the Asian Games.