Ahead of the T20 series against Ireland, the captains of Bangladesh and Ireland unveiled the trophy in Sylhet’s tea gardens, dressed in traditional attire.
Sylhet, known as the land of “two leaves and a bud,” is globally renowned for its tea production, alongside its scenic hills, rivers, and wetlands. This heritage was beautifully highlighted as Nigar Sultana and Gaby Lewis embraced the roles of tea workers for the occasion, donning traditional tea laborers’ attire while unveiling the T20 series trophy.
The three-match T20 series begins on Thursday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. On the eve of the first match, Nigar appeared in a unique avatar at the Malnichhara Tea Estate near the stadium.
Dressed in local attire with a wrapped cloth on her head and a basket on her back, the Bangladesh captain transformed into a tea worker for the photoshoot. Gaby Lewis followed suit, both appearing like new recruits in the nearly 175-year-old tea garden.
This special initiative by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) aimed to showcase Sylhet’s rich tea culture. While tea garden photoshoots have been held before, including for the Women’s Asia Cup in 2022 and other men’s series, this marks the first time the players fully embraced the tea worker look for a trophy unveiling.
Nigar expressed her delight with the initiative, noting its significance for women’s cricket.
“This (unveiling the trophy in a tea garden) is truly special. Previously, such photoshoots were done in men’s cricket, but wearing traditional attire like this is beyond imagination for me. It’s a great initiative and could further elevate women’s cricket in a unique way.”
The Bangladesh captain also expressed her determination to claim the trophy, aiming to continue the winning momentum from the 3-0 ODI series sweep against Ireland.
“Winning the series is definitely on our minds. We’re in a good rhythm right now. If we can maintain this momentum, it will benefit the team,” said Nigar.
Bangladesh has a clear edge in head-to-head encounters with Ireland in T20s, having won 8 out of 11 matches. However, Ireland has shown promise recently, securing wins against England and Sri Lanka in home series and defeating Pakistan 2-1 in their last bilateral series in the subcontinent.
Despite Bangladesh’s current form, Nigar remains cautious, acknowledging Ireland’s recent performances and improvement during the ODI series.
“I’m very positive and confident, but not overconfident. We are a team that thrives on collective performances to win matches. Nothing comes easy; we must play good cricket to win,” she said.
The T20 series will kick off at 2 PM Bangladesh time.
