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Jahanara Alam Opens Up on Mental Struggles During 2024 T20 World Cup: “I Reached a Point of No Return”
Former Bangladesh Skipper Details Emotional Breakdown and Team Culture Crisis
Bangladesh women’s cricket stalwart Jahanara Alam has spoken out about her harrowing experience during the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, revealing that she reached an emotional and psychological breaking point amidst a toxic team environment. In a deeply personal interview with Cricbuzz, the former captain shared how repeated mental stress, both personal and observed, pushed her to temporarily step away from international cricket.
“I couldn’t take it anymore,” Jahanara admitted. “What I witnessed during the World Cup, I never expected—not for myself, and not for the young players.”
Mental Health Crisis and Unbearable Dressing Room Atmosphere
Allegations of Abuse Within the Team Setup
Jahanara revealed a shocking incident during the tournament where a young cricketer was publicly humiliated by team authorities. “A junior player was shouted at to ‘leave the ground’ during a match. She walked off crying. How do you heal from that kind of mental abuse?” she questioned.
This, she said, was just one of several distressing incidents she observed that deeply affected her. “I didn’t face that moment directly, but witnessing it… it broke me.”
Jahanara expressed disbelief that such trauma could happen in a professional cricketing environment—especially while national boards like the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) actively advocate for mental health awareness.
🔗 Related: Mental Health in Cricket – Challenges and Support Systems
“I Was Lost Mentally”: Inside the World Cup Breakdown
The 2024 T20 World Cup became the tipping point for Jahanara’s mental health deterioration, though she acknowledged the stress had been accumulating over the years.
“It wasn’t just about the World Cup,” she said. “It had been building for three to four years and intensified in the last 18 months.”
Excluded from playing XI during the tournament, Jahanara said she tried to integrate with teammates in ways she typically wouldn’t—just to feel included. “I was questioning everything: Why am I here? What’s my role? What’s my future?”
Her emotional health deteriorated to the point that she began having frequent nightmares and emotional detachment, something she had never experienced before on this scale.
Earlier Battles with Burnout: A Pattern Across Her Career
Jahanara reflected on three critical moments in her cricketing journey—in 2009, 2020, and 2022—when she nearly gave up the sport. Ironically, after being dropped from the team in 2023, she didn’t feel like quitting.
“I actually felt stronger then. I wanted to come back. But after the World Cup, I just crashed. I needed a mental reset.”
Her time in Australia, initially planned as a short break, turned into a healing retreat. “The respect and peace I found there was exactly what I needed. I started to recover, feel valued again.”
Returning to Cricket – With a Coaching Twist
Now a Cricket Australia Level 2-certified coach, Jahanara plans to return to Bangladesh domestic cricket while also exploring coaching opportunities.
“I’m not giving up playing yet,” she clarified. “But if coaching comes alongside, I’m ready.”
She plans to re-enter domestic circuits once she’s fully recovered and hopes to offer more to Bangladesh cricket in new roles as needed. “I didn’t quit the national team—I took leave,” she stressed. “Now, I have to see what awaits me.”
