Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has embarked on a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the facilities and support for women's cricket, striving to align it closely with men's cricket in all aspects. This move is intended to address the long-standing demand for equal opportunities for the women's team, as stated by BCB's head of the Women's Wing, Habibul Bashar Sumon. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, women's cricket has been at the forefront of discussions over the past few years, spurred by the team's commendable performances. Bashar, who is also a former captain of Bangladesh's men's team, expressed optimism that continued success could attract more sponsorships. He highlighted the significant progress made in women's cricket and emphasized the BCB's commitment to providing equal opportunities and facilities, noting that the board has already introduced central contracts for women cricketers, ensuring both financial security and professional recognition. The BCB has also improved the salary structure and match fees for female players over the years. Furthermore, similar to their male counterparts, the women's team has been engaged in more international tours, which are essential for gaining experience against stronger teams. The Bangladesh women's cricket team is set for an extensive international schedule under the ICC Women's Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2025-29, where they will participate in 66 matches, including 33 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 36 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). For the first time, they are also scheduled to tour cricketing powerhouses like Australia, England, New Zealand, and India. Currently, the women's team is gearing up for a series of three ODIs and three T20s at home against Ireland. The upcoming ODIs, starting on Wednesday, are part of the ICC Women's ODI Super League. This league plays a crucial role in securing the team's direct qualification to the Women's World Cup, which will be hosted by India next year. Bangladesh is tasked with winning the r emaining six matches to ensure a direct entry into the World Cup. Despite the challenging path ahead, the team is exuding confidence. Bashar reiterated their immediate target of winning all three matches against Ireland, which is crucial for a successful start to their campaign. He acknowledged the importance of approaching the mission one match at a time, emphasizing that a victory in the first match could provide the necessary momentum to achieve their goals.
