The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Tuesday stated that it ‘categorically and strongly’ refuted the claims made by pacer Jahanara Alam in a recent interview alleging the current national women’s team captain, Nigar Sultana Joty, of misconduct, including physical assault of other players.
‘The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken note of recent remarks made in the media by a former member of the Bangladesh women’s national cricket team, in which she has made a series of allegations against the current national team captain, players, staff and team management,’ the BCB said in a press release.
‘The BCB categorically and strongly refutes these allegations, which are baseless, fabricated and devoid of any truth. The Board finds it unfortunate that such derogatory and scandalous claims have been made at a time when the Bangladesh women’s team is showing commendable progress and unity on the international stage,’ it added.
The BCB also said that it believed Jahanara’s comments were ‘deliberate, ill-intentioned and seemingly aimed at undermining the spirit and confidence of a team that continues to represent the country with pride’.
The BCB also stated that the 32-year-old pacer had ‘no involvement or relevance in the plans of Bangladesh cricket’, and thus her comments were ‘deeply disappointing’.
In the interview published in a national daily Jahanara also alleged that a ‘syndicate’ had been working and a ‘panel led by Joty’ was destroying women’s cricket.
However, the BCB stated that it had complete trust and confidence in the women’s national team’s leadership, players and management.
‘The Board has found no evidence to support any of the claims made and stands firmly behind the team and its personnel,’ the press release added.
Jahanara, the country’s most successful pacer in women’s cricket with 108 international wickets, is currently in Australia.
She took an indefinite break from Bangladesh cricket in January. In an interview with ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·, she had said that her break might be of ‘a few weeks or a few months’.
