On 14 May 2018, 16-year-old Sobhana Mostary became Bangladesh's fourth youngest debutant in women's ODIs. It was an ordeal when she faced South Africa's Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail. The raw pace of the latter is still fresh in the batsman's memory.
“I remember meeting Shabnim Ismail during my first few deliveries on debut. At that time, she was one of the fiercest bowlers. I was wearing a regular pad and one of her deliveries hit me on the leg. I said to myself, 'If I have to play at this level, I have to be brave.' I made five runs and didn't stay out,” says the now 23-year-old Sports star on the sidelines of the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup 2025.
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A few days ago, Mostary faced the Proteas again – her second appearance against them in the 50-over format. Although her returns were modest, overall this tournament was worthwhile. Against four-time champions England, in a match where Bangladesh brought the English close, Mostary compiled a steady 60 off 108 balls – her first international half-century in a career spanning seven years.
“In T20Is, I have reached the 40s a few times. I feel I have broken that barrier against England, and now I hope to cross that mark and get closer to a hundred,” she said. Still, she admits she was wasteful with her opportunities.
Getting trust back
“I don't think I'm a successful batsman. I spent more than six years with the team and had a lot of opportunities. Maybe someone else in my place would have made better use of them,” Mostary said.
This is her fifth World Cup – three T20 and two ODI – and her first real taste of the showpiece came at the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, where she played just one match. The last ODI World Cup in New Zealand was similar.
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“When I went to Australia in 2020, I was a junior. For almost three years, I just traveled with the team. Watching the seniors taught me a lot. During the last ODI World Cup, I got a chance to watch all the big teams up close and see how they operate,” she recalls.
Fatema Tuz Jahara, who coached Mostary in its early years, believes her inconsistency stems from a lack of regular playing time.
“The international level is very different. You need fitness and experience. Maybe Sobhana camped with the team for years and was overtrained, which made things more difficult,” Jahara explains.
“A player who travels but doesn't get matches isn't gaining any real experience. Her batting positions (from No. 3 to No. 7) also mean she rarely bats in relaxed situations. Constant failures at those times can take a mental toll.”
An unusual talent
Jahara remembers when a 10-year-old Mostarian walked into the BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan) – the country's only government-run sports institute – to apply for admission.
“We used to have annual entrance tests. Sobhana came very young; that was unusual because our system accepted students from the seventh standard. But she was so gifted – her shots were incredible – that we made an exception. She was given temporary training for a year and then formally joined the sixth standard,” says the coach.
Hailing from Rangpur, and the only child of a police inspector father (who retires this month) and a nurse mother, Mostary started playing with boys in her neighborhood. With the support of her family – especially her cousin Aleef and two uncles – her cricket ambitions soon gained momentum.
“At BKSP, I studied and trained at the same time. Slowly, when I played in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL), I was called up to the senior team,” she says.
Mostary continues to play in the Dhaka Women's Premier League and scored 183 runs in six innings for Mohammedan Sporting Club last season.
“I remember Pinki Tue (Fargana Hoque) gave me 500 taka after a big hit and said I would go far. Those DPL performances earned me my call-up to the senior team. In the domestic circuit, I would normally bat in the top order, but in the national team, our selector told me that if I went out to open, I would not be able to bat. I was happy to be lower in the rankings,” she says.
Since her DPL days, Jahara says, Mostary has expanded her stroke streak. Her power hitting was always an asset, and it continues to help her clear the ropes.
With the formidable Australians next, Mostary remains optimistic about Bangladesh's prospects.
“There is the excitement among the young people and the understanding among the seniors, which has resulted in a unity that is reflected on the field,” she says.
Published on October 16, 2025
