Dubai: Bangladesh women’s cricket team captain Nigar Sultana Joty expressed her emotions over her team’s first victory in a T20 Women’s World Cup match in ten years.

She believes this triumph will create momentum for the growth of women’s cricket in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh achieved a 16-run win against Scotland in their opening World Cup match in Sharjah after posting a seemingly modest total of 119-7 in their 20 overs.

Their bowlers, however, stepped up to restrict Scotland to 103-7, securing the victory.

“It’s been a very emotional win for us because we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Joty, who was marking her 100th T20I appearance.

She emphasized that even playing good cricket means little without actual wins to show for it.

This victory, according to Joty, is a significant achievement for Bangladesh women’s cricket, allowing them to dream bigger and aim higher.

She mentioned that fans and supporters back home are now looking forward to better performances in the future.

Originally, the tournament was scheduled to be hosted in Bangladesh, which would have brought further excitement.

However, it was moved to the UAE due to political unrest and the subsequent formation of an interim government in Bangladesh.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on home support, Joty acknowledged the support they received in Sharjah.

Scotland’s Saskia Horley, who took 3-13 towards the end of Bangladesh’s innings, admitted there was some disappointment in losing their first T20 World Cup match but praised her team’s passion and pride in competing at the event.

Bangladesh’s next Group B game is against England on Saturday in Sharjah, while Scotland will face former champions West Indies in Dubai on Sunday.