Jahanara Alam
Jahanara Alam (born 1 April 1993 in Khulna, Bangladesh) is a Bangladeshi cricketer who plays for the Bangladesh women’s national team. She is a right-arm medium pace bowler and a right-handed batter.
She made her ODI debut on 26 November 2011 against Ireland and her T20I debut on 28 August 2012 against Ireland. In ODIs, she has played 49 matches and taken 46 wickets, with a best of 3/18. In T20Is, she has played 75 matches and taken 57 wickets, with a best of 5/28. At the domestic level, she has played for Khulna Division, Sylhet Division, Velocity, and Northern Zone.
Jahanara has been part of several notable Bangladesh teams and achievements. She helped Bangladesh win a silver medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and was part of the 2018 Women’s Asia Cup-winning squad. On 28 June 2018, she became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take five wickets in a WT20I, and she was a leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier. She also contributed to Bangladesh’s gold medal at the 2019 South Asian Games.
Her cricket journey began in Khulna. She attended Pioneer Girls High School and initially played handball and volleyball. A coach, Sheikh Salahuddin, noticed her potential and encouraged her to try cricket. Despite early challenges and social pressure, her family supported her, especially her father and grandmother. She learned by watching players from around the world, with Brett Lee inspiring her pace and swing, and Mashrafe Mortaza as a personal idol.
In March 2008, she first played for Bangladesh on a Hong Kong tour and even took a hat-trick in the last match of that series. Over the years, her performances earned her a regular spot in the national team and several major tournament selections.
In January 2025, Jahanara took an indefinite break from international cricket, citing an abusive team environment.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:33 (CET).