MAKE WAY FOR THE TIGRESSES!

This week, we decided to do something a bit different, a bit out of character for us if you will. March 8th marked a special day in our calendar; International Women's Day. A day to celebrate all the achievements, and there are tons of it too, brought about by women all over the world. It is also a day to celebrate the special women in our lives as well; our mothers, sisters, friends, lovers etc. To mark this special occasion, we at Star Showbiz have decided to bring to light our women's international cricket team for our cricket crazed citizens. The men's division has already gained international fame and had taken on the Indian team for the finals of the Asia Cup T20 2016. With our tigers' international fame firmly established, it's now time for our tigresses to roar and put the fear of God in their rivals.

With their first World T20 outing in 2014, they played 5 matches in Round 1 with 2 wins and 3 losses. They are currently ranked 9th on the ICC Women's Championship Ranking, ahead of Ireland and behind Sri Lanka. They are scheduled to take part in the ICC Women's World T20 2016, with their first match on 15th March against India. So don't forget to cheer for the Tigresses on match day. Their jersey, bathed in the lush green and deep red of our flag, will be sponsored by Cute.
The Line-up
Jahanara Alam (c)
Hailing from Khulna, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012. She is playing in her second ICC WWT20, having taken three wickets twice in her first six matches – against South Africa and Sri Lanka in late 2012. She also played all five matches in the ICC WWT20 2014 but struggled with the ball, only taking two wickets in 16 overs.

Rumana Ahmed
Another Khulna resident, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20 and scored 41 against Sri Lanka in the ICC WWT20 2014 and took six wickets in the tournament. Her best figures were 4-8 against Zimbabwe in the semi-final and 3-9 against Scotland.
Nahida Akter
Making her T20I debut against Pakistan in Karachi in September 2015 playing in her first ICC WWT20, she took two wickets in each of her first three T20Is, bowling her full quota of overs each time. She is the youngest player to represent Bangladesh in Women's T20I cricket, aged a little under 16 years.

Sharmin Akhter
Hailing from Gaibandha, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. In her two matches in the ICC WWT20 2014, she scored 18 against Sri Lanka and then 35 against Ireland. On her ODI debut against Ireland in 2011, she hit 52 while opening and played all five matches in the qualifying tournament, making a total of 77 runs.
Panna Ghosh
She made her T20I debut against Sri Lanka in Guanggong in October 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. She took successive hauls of 3-18 against Sri Lanka and 3-25 against Ireland in the ICC WWT20 2014 and played two matches in the qualifying competition, bowling economically each time. She won a silver medal for cricket at the 2010 Asian Games.

Fargana Hoque
Making her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20, she was Bangladesh's leading run-scorer in the qualifying tournament with 100 runs in her five matches with a top score of 43. She also boasts two ODI half-centuries to her name, with a top score of 63 against South Africa in Benoni in 2013.
Sanjida Islam
Hailing from Rangpur, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. She was just 16 years old when she made her T20I debut.
Fahima Khatun
Making her T20I debut against India in Vadodara in April 2013 playing in her second ICC WWT20, she played all five matches in the ICC WWT20 2014, taking 2-27 in the first match against the West Indies and took five wickets in the qualifying tournament at an average of just 8.80 apiece.

Salma Khatun
The former captain also hails from Khulna, and made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. She was Bangladesh's leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in T20Is.
Khadija Tul Kubra
Hailing from Bogra, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. She took six wickets in ICC WWT20 with best bowling of 3-24 against the West Indies. She has three hauls of three wickets in an innings in her ODI career, with her best bowling of 3-8 coming against South Africa in 2012
Lata Mondal
Hailing from our fair city, she made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August 2012 playing in her second ICC WWT20. She has had greater success in ODI cricket, scoring 52 against South Africa in 2012 and taking 4-35 against Pakistan in 2014
Ritu Moni
Hailing from Bogra, she made her T20I debut against Ireland at Dublin in August 2012. She played all five matches in the qualifying tournament, scoring 31 runs and taking two wickets in her only over. Thanks to a succession of not-out innings, her batting average after six ODI matches stands at 74.

Ayasha Rahman
Making her T20I debut against India in Vadodara in April 2013 playing in her second ICC WWT20, she made scores of 34 and 42 in her first full T20I series against South Africa. She was consistent with the bat in the ICC WWT20 with scores of 10, 10, 10, 6 and 12 and scored 60 runs in the qualifying tournament, playing in four of the five matches, with a top score of 30.
Shaila Sharmin
Hailing from Khulna and making her T20I debut against South Africa in Potchefstroom in September 2013 playing in her second ICC WWT20, she played two matches in the ICC WWT20 2014 against India and Ireland. She won a silver medal in the 2014 Asian Games for cricket in Incheon.
Nigar Sultana (wk)
She made her T20I debut against Pakistan in Karachi in September 2015 playing in her first ICC WWT20.
As a nation completely enamoured with the sport of cricket, it's now time for our women's division to get a piece of the action so be sure to cheer loud and proud on their day out in the sun.

By Intisab Shahriyar