Former Bangladesh Women captain takes break from cricket due to mental health issues

Mental health problems have forced one of Bangladesh's Women’s Cricket team’s former captains and most capped fast bowlers, Jahanara Alam, to take an indefinite break from the game. It was confirmed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on January 6 (Monday). 

"She had given us a letter stating that she was not mentally ready to play and took a break from cricket for two months," Habibul Bashar, former Bangladesh men’s captain and selector and now in charge of the BCB women's wing was quoted as saying to Cricbuzz. 

"She even said that if necessary, she should not be kept in the contract. We need to respect that because if someone feels that she is not mentally ready and wants to take a break for some days, we need to accept that. 

"There is no specific time frame for which she is out. Whenever she feels well, she will let us know,” Bashar added about Jahanara’s decision, suggesting that it was hard for the board to convince her otherwise.  

Jahanara, one of the most known faces in Bangladesh women's cricket, is known for her unique white paint across her face and aggressive bowling. She led the Tigresses in two ODIs and seven T20Is, winning just one 50-over game in her tenure between 2014 and 2016. 

Having debuted in 2011, Jahanara has appeared in 52 ODIs and 83 T20Is, taking a combined total of 108 wickets. She remained away from cricket between May 2023 and July 2024, but since her return, she was mostly benched, including during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. In total, she appeared in only five T20Is and no ODIs in the last six months.