Women’s T20 WC: Sarah Cooke to cheer for Bangladesh, England and Scotland

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Thursday said that she will be cheering for three teams--Bangladesh, England and Scotland--during the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in England and Wales from June 12.

Speaking at a special send-off reception hosted by the British High Commission in Dhaka in honour of the Bangladesh women’s team, Sarah expressed her relief that all three teams are not in the same group, while also wishing the Tigresses the very best for the global tournament.

Born in England, Cooke has been living in Scotland for many years, while her husband is also Scottish. She has been serving in Bangladesh since 2023.

“We are very excited to be hosting them. They will be playing at some of the most iconic cricket grounds in the world against teams such as India, Pakistan, Australia and South Africa. Of course, we wish them all the best. We are so pleased that they are here and that they are going to represent Bangladesh on the international stage,” Sarah told reporters during the ceremony.

“It’s all about women’s sport and showing how important the role of sport is. It’s not just a men’s club anymore. It is very much about women and women’s empowerment. We are delighted to wish the team good luck as they travel to England for their tournament, and we hope they enjoy the best of success and shine on the world stage,” she added.

The reception celebrated the team’s achievements and brought together members of parliament, senior government officials, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials, politicians, businessmen, sports personalities and representatives from the media.

The event also provided an opportunity to acknowledge the players’ hard work, highlight the strengthening sporting ties between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, and underscore a shared commitment to promoting women’s empowerment through sport.

“Cricket is a beloved sport in both the UK and Bangladesh and plays a vital role in strengthening people-to-people ties between our two nations. We look forward to supporting them as they compete at the highest level,” Sarah said during the programme.

BCB ad hoc committee member and women’s wing chairperson Rashna Imam thanked the High Commissioner for hosting the reception.

She said that since 2014, the Bangladesh women’s team have participated in every possible major tournament and have gone from strength to strength with each competition.

She noted that despite the challenges surrounding women’s sports, the team’s rise has been an inspiring story.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Her Excellency and the British High Commission for organising this session. As you all know, Bangladesh made their T20 World Cup debut in 2014. It was a historic moment and a huge step for the country. Since then, our team has participated in every edition of the tournament. We did not necessarily win, but we grew stronger with every match, and this culminated in our 2018 Asia Cup victory,” she said.

Bangladesh are set to depart for Edinburgh in two separate groups on May 24 and May 26, where they will take part in a tri-series involving hosts Scotland and the Netherlands ahead of the World Cup.

Placed in Group A alongside Australia, India, Pakistan, the Netherlands and South Africa, Bangladesh will open their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on June 14 at Edgbaston.