Hope flickers despite hurdles

Hope and despair -- Bangladesh women's cricket team saw both sides of the coin in 2025, as the possibilities shown this year and the turbulence faced both on and off the field left them standing on the precipice of either progress or regression going into the new year.

As the year is revisited, a few performances continue to light beacons of hope.

The narrative was shaped by the biggest event in Bangladesh women's cricket in 2025, the ODI World Cup held in September-November. The lead-up to the event, however, carried heartbreak and frustration -- heartbreak in failing to secure direct qualification, and frustration in how, even after eventually booking a place in the mega event, the team were let down by the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) lack of foresight in arranging a proper preparation phase.

The Tigresses toured the West Indies in January with direct qualification in line, but a 2-1 series loss forced them into the six-team World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan in April.

Qualification itself came by the narrowest of margins and a near miracle, as Bangladesh grabbed the second spot at the expense of West Indies, who finished just 0.013 behind in net run-rate after both teams secured three wins.

There was respite amid the struggle. A ton against Thailand saw skipper Nigar Sultana Joty become the first woman centurion from Bangladesh in an ICC ODI event. Joty and Sharmin Akter Supta finished as the second and third highest run-getters of the qualifiers. The Women's Dhaka Premier League in March also offered encouraging signs, with several batters showing greater tenacity and attacking intent.

However, following the league, World Cup preparation plans hit a snag. The Tigresses went into the showpiece without playing a single international bilateral series since the West Indies tour.

Instead of competitive international fixtures, camps and tournaments with the national U-15 boys' team were all that BCB could arrange. The lack of competitive preparation showed during the World Cup, particularly in crunch moments.

Bangladesh collectively failed to grab close matches by the scruff of the neck, something that might have been different with proper international exposure before the World Cup. They ended with just one win, the same return as in the 2022 edition.

This time, however, performances suggested the players were able to rise above their lack of preparation. The explosiveness of the new generation -- Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan, Rubya Haider and Sobhana Mostary -- stood out as the main takeaways.

It was a dream start for Marufa, who, with her inswingers, immediately became one of the stars of the World Cup.

Batting concerns had followed the Tigresses, yet the tournament also saw Mostary, the top scorer for Bangladesh in the previous T20 World Cup, and Supta staking claims in the top order.

The 23-year-old Mostary led with composure, and while Supta remained the standout in terms of aggregate runs, Mostary created impact. Among the youngsters, Shorna Akter's explosive knock against South Africa and Rabeya's ability to change games with her leg-spin gave Bangladesh's campaign vitality, even as they fell just short in the final hurdles against England, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.

As the year edged towards its close, off-field controversies also came to light. Former skipper Jahanara Alam made allegations of sexual abuse against coaches and team management officials near the end of the year, developments that threatened to derail stability.

Looking ahead, preparations for the qualifiers in Nepal in January-February, which will determine qualification for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in England in June-July, began late this year. The campaign remains in danger of becoming another patched-up effort, with the BCB yet to confirm any international matches ahead of the tournament and continued questions being raised about the standard of domestic cricket.

Still, as 2025 draws to a close, the year will be remembered not only for missed opportunities and administrative failures but also for the emergence of a promising core. If nurtured with proper planning, competitive exposure, and stability, the performances of this year may yet become the foundation on which Bangladesh women's cricket builds a brighter future.