Juairiya targets attacking approach against Australia

Bangladesh are set to face six-time champions Australia in their second Women’s T20 World Cup fixture on Wednesday, a clash opener Juairiya Ferdous views as an exciting prospect. The Tigresses opener is keen to replicate the aggressive mindset that defined her performance in the opening Group 1 victory over the Netherlands, where her quick-fire half-century gave her side the decisive edge.

Her blistering innings against the Netherlands, a 33-ball 50, was decorated with seven fours and two sixes. Coming off the back of consecutive half-centuries, including a 38-ball 50 against Ireland in the pre-World Cup tri-nation series in Scotland, the right-handed batter is not only eager to maintain her attacking approach but has her sights firmly set on an upset.

“Australia is a very strong team, so it will be a big challenge for us to perform well and try to win. Our target will definitely be to win the match,” Juairiya said at the press conference on Tuesday.

“Personally, I feel that the approach I had was good, especially the intent to score more runs off fewer balls. Against Australia, I will try to maintain the same approach. My focus will be on making the best use of the Powerplay and playing a big innings,”

Wednesday's match will mark the first time Juairiya faces the reigning champions, a milestone she is embracing with enthusiasm.

“It feels really special because I have always watched them on television, but I had never seen them in person before. Now I am going to play my first match against them, which is a great feeling and a very exciting opportunity,” she noted.

The opener also recognised the broader significance of the tournament, noting that strong performances on the world stage can build a more robust platform for women’s cricket back home.

“This tournament can have a huge impact. If we can achieve something good here, it will inspire many young girls back home. Seeing us perform on this stage will increase their interest in cricket and encourage more of them to get involved in the game. As more girls take up cricket, the pipeline of players will become stronger, and competition for places in the national team will increase,” she added.

The match will take place at Headingley, and Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland noted that while the conditions look ideal for batting, the surface might still offer something for the bowling attack.

“I love playing here, so that’s the first thing and it's a pretty good place to bat. Looks like a good wicket, but if the practice wickets are anything to go by, there’s still a little bit in it for the bowlers. So, generally fast outfield and a good place to bat,” Sutherland said.

The 24-year-old Australian insisted that her side have done their homework on Bangladesh and are carrying plenty of confidence into the encounter.

“They’ve got some hitters which is cool and I think probably their spinners, some crafty spinners. We’ve played a little bit against them the last couple of years, had a good series in Bangladesh against them, so we feel like we’ve got a good sense of their bowlers and we review teams really, really well. So we’ve done that and feel like we’re confident coming into the game,” she concluded.