Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty has reached another significant achievement by crossing the 2,000-run mark in Women’s T20I cricket, becoming the first player from Bangladesh to accomplish this feat.
In the match against the West Indies, Sultana entered needing just 23 runs to reach the 2,000 T20I-run milestone. This achievement adds yet another accolade to her impressive career.
Nigar Sultana made her debut in T20I cricket against Pakistan in 2015 and quickly became an integral part of Bangladesh’s batting order. Her standout performance occurred during the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where she was the top run-scorer for her team, establishing her reputation on the international stage.
A pivotal moment in Sultana’s career occurred at the South Asian Games Women’s Cricket event, where she scored an unbeaten 113 against the Maldives, marking the highest individual score for Bangladesh in T20I cricket—regardless of gender. This match also saw her and Fargana Hoque set the record for the highest third-wicket partnership in T20Is, a record that remains unbroken. Her extraordinary century earned her the Player of the Match award.
Sultana has demonstrated her abilities as a talented wicketkeeper-batter, topping the charts for Bangladesh during the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup with a total of 114 runs across four innings. Consistent performances in critical tournaments have defined her career.
🚨 Milestone Alert 🚨
Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana Joty completes 2000 T20I runs.
She becomes first and only batter from Bangladesh to complete this feat 👏#CricketTwitter #T20WorldCup2024 pic.twitter.com/rGFPzn0dtI
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 10, 2024
In January 2022, Sultana was named captain of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team for the Commonwealth Games Cricket Qualifier in Malaysia. Under her guidance, Bangladesh excelled, with Sultana playing a crucial role in their entry into the 2022 Women’s T20 World Cup. She was the leading run-scorer for her team in the World Cup Qualifier with 180 runs from five innings, including two half-centuries. During the tournament, she also surpassed the 1,000-run mark in T20Is.
Now, with over 2,000 T20I runs to her credit, the 27-year-old continues to serve as a primary pillar of Bangladesh’s batting lineup. With a record of eight half-centuries and a century to her name, Sultana maintains a commendable average of 26.71 in WT20Is.
Image Source: Bangladesh Cricket: The Tigers @ YouTube
