Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana stirred a row after she decided not to shake hands with Indian counterpart in the semifinal of the Women’s Asia Cup.
India has followed a strict no-handshake policy against Pakistan; however, India and Bangladesh have shared a friendly sporting rivalry. There was a phase when Bangladesh, under the Muhammad Yunus-led government, refused to tour India for the T20 World Cup 2026, jeopardising the ties, but the change in government and the appointment of Tamim Iqbal as Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President have rejuvenated the sporting rivalry.
The BCB is even pushing hard for India to tour Bangladesh in September; thus, Sultana’s decision to snub the handshake came as a surprise to many.
Reacting to the handshake snub, BCB women’s committee chairman Rafiqul Islam Babu distanced the board from the controversy, saying it was Nigar Sultana’s personal decision. She maintained that Bangladesh wants friendly relations with all countries.
“Of course, it was her own decision (not to shake hands with Harmanpreet),” said Babu. “We believe sports bring the world together. We want friendly relations with all countries, not just India, and so whatever she did was entirely her personal decision.”
Nigar Sultana’s Future Hangs In Balance
Meanwhile, the team suffered a thrashing against India, losing the game by 40 runs. The latest defeat has now put Sultana’s future in jeopardy. Rafiqul Islam Babu said that Nigar Sultana’s future and the complaint against her regarding the handshake snub will be assessed after the Asian Games 2026.
“First, we will see how the team performs at the Asian Games, then decide what needs to be done,” Babu said. “There are many shortcomings in the team. We have not been able to beat the bigger teams. We played well in the World Cup too but lost because of small mistakes. We are working to make the team stronger and more competitive. After the Asian Games, we will decide what can be done,” he concluded.