Bangladesh finished fourth at the Asian Games on September 22, 2026, after losing the bronze-medal match to Pakistan by 31 runs. Pakistan posted 145 for 8 in 20 overs and Bangladesh could manage only 114 for 7 in reply. Earlier, Bangladesh had been knocked out of the gold-medal race by a 114-run defeat to India in the semifinals.
Bangladesh head coach Sarowar Imran, after the tournament, disclosed significant internal tensions within the squad during the Asian Games. Imran suggested that reports circulating about his future and that of the captain had a negative impact on the team.
“Suppose it is being said about me that I won’t be retained, he won’t be retained, and things like that. This happened during a tournament… We are playing a tournament. In the middle of it, you have sidelined the head coach and the captain, so how can you expect [results]? That kind of thing (negative report) can impact the team and the players. I think – I’m not entirely sure, but – it could be one of the reasons. No excuses, but it could be a factor. We just aren’t able to hit our stride; we can’t seem to reach that level at all,” Sarowar Imran said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
“They (women’s cricket) are definitely stuck. And it’s a much larger issue. People watching from the outside – including journalists – might think a team just does net practice and goes out to play, but it doesn’t work like that. There is a whole process behind it,” he added.
Imran went on to highlight problems in infrastructure back in Bangladesh as far as women’s cricket is concerned. However, he believes that if certain measures are adopted promptly, Bangladesh can start competing with the likes of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as early as within a year.
“Of course, infrastructural problems are definitely there. Women’s cricket has only started gaining some traction recently, and it needs to grow properly day by day. Since Faruque bhai took over, I can see efforts being made to treat the women’s side similarly to the men’s. If this continues – if school cricket is launched, U-18 programs begin, HP (High Performance) camps are set up for women, and separate training facilities are built – then in a year’s time, we might actually be able to compete with India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka,” Imran added.
Imran also addressed his own contract situation. His two-year contract was indeed due to end in October 2026. The Bangladesh board had been planning to replace him, with David Hemp identified as the frontrunner for the head coach position. Current batting coach Nasiruddin Faruque was also planned to be replaced, with Hemp expected to take charge of the batting department as well.
“My two-year contract is ending in October anyway, so I don’t have any expectations either.” he mentioned.
Captain Nigar Sultana stepped down as Bangladesh’s T20I captain after the Asian Games, citing a desire to focus on her own game. Imran connected her decision directly to the negative atmosphere that had built up around the team.
“Criticism affects individuals on a personal level. The captain made that statement (of not continuing as T20I captain) only after all of this (negative report) happened,” Imran said.
What triggered the slump that carried into the Asian Games?
Imran traced the beginning of Bangladesh’s difficulties to the Asia Cup, where the team lost a close match against Sri Lanka. He said that negative reports and rumours began circulating from that point and had a measurable effect on the squad’s performances in subsequent matches.
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Bangladesh struggled against Indonesia and UAE in the period following the Asia Cup, scoring only in the range of 120-130 runs, and Imran said that form carried directly into the Asian Games. Imran said that the Bangladesh team played the T20 World Cup under different circumstances, but things have suddenly gone downhill in recent times.
“Our problem actually started back in the Asia Cup. We lost a close match against Sri Lanka there. Ever since that loss, various kinds of reports and rumors have been coming out from different places… to the point that we couldn’t even score 120-130 against teams like Indonesia and the UAE. And we are still carrying that exact slump into the Asian Games,” Imran said.
“You know who holds the primary responsibility (of our failure) better than I do. However you want to frame it… you’re asking me! We weren’t in this state before. We played in World Cups under entirely different circumstances. Now, everything has suddenly shifted,” he added.
