Nigar Sultana captaincy exit shocks BCB. [Source - AFP]Nigar Sultana has made a shock decision regarding her future as Bangladesh’s T20I captain. She has confirmed that she will step down from T20I captaincy after the Asian Games 2026, bringing an unexpected development for Bangladesh cricket.The Bangladesh Women's all format captain has informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board about her decision, with the development sending shockwaves through the country’s cricket setup. The BCB has now reacted to Nigar Sultana’s decision, leaving officials stunned.Why Did Nigar Sultana Step Down As Bangladesh T20I Captain?Nigar Sultana has informed the BCB about her decision to quit T20I captaincy, with the development coming just days after Bangladesh suffered a semifinal defeat against India in the Women’s Asia Cup, adding to the shock.With the Asian Games 2026 in Japan approaching, Nigar communicated her decision to the BCB in a letter sent from Japan on September 15. She is understood to have taken the call to focus more on her batting and wicketkeeping responsibilities.Despite stepping down as Bangladesh’s T20I captain, Nigar Sultana will continue to lead the side in ODIs. Her decision applies only to the shortest format, with the timing coming just days after Bangladesh’s Asia Cup semifinal defeat against India.Nigar Sultana’s T20I Captaincy Exit Shocks BCBNigar Sultana’s decision to step down as Bangladesh’s T20I captain after the Asian Games has come as a surprise to the BCB. Her captaincy had been under scrutiny following a 3-0 home T20I series loss to Sri Lanka.Moreover, Bangladesh Women could manage only two wins from five matches at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup and also failed to reach the final of the recently concluded 2026 Women’s Asia Cup.Also Read: Watch- Deepti Sharma, Nigar Sultana Get In Serious Fight, Umpires InterveneAccording to Cricbuzz, Rafiqul Islam Babu, chairman of the BCB women’s wing, admitted that he had no idea why Nigar Sultana had suddenly decided to step down as Bangladesh’s T20I captain."I honestly do not know why she suddenly decided to step down (from T20I captaincy)," said Rafiqul Islam Babu.Rafiqul’s comments highlight just how unexpected Nigar’s decision was for the BCB ahead of an event lik the Asian Games 2026. She took over as Bangladesh’s T20I captain in 2022 and has led the side in the format for the last four years.Nigar Sultana’s Captaincy Quit Leaves BCB EmbarrassedThe sudden timing of Nigar’s decision has seemingly added to the BCB’s frustration, with Rafiqul admitting that the move left him embarrassed and disappointed, particularly because the board was not informed beforehand."The decision taken before the Asian Games leaves me both embarrassed and deeply disappointed. If there were any issues or problems in that case I could have been informed after the team returned from the tournament,” Rafiqul added.It is also worth noting that the BCB had recently distanced itself from Nigar Sultana during the handshake incident involving India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, adding another layer to the ongoing captaincy saga.Also Read: Zero From RCB, 1 From CSK: IPL Team-Wise List Of Players In India T20 Squad vs Afghanistan
