Bangladesh U-19 women's team skipper Sumaiya Akter insists they aren't taking Nepal lightly, mentioning that they will try to give their best during the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup, scheduled to get underway in Malaysia today.

Bangladesh had beaten their Nepali counterparts by nine wickets the last time they faced each other in a Super Four game in the inaugural U-19 Women's T20 Asia Cup, in which Bangladesh emerged runners-up.

"Nepal are an up-and-coming team. They are always a challenging opponent. We are not taking them lightly. They will definitely try to give their best. We will also try to give our best," Sumaiya said in a video message yesterday.

Bangladesh will also face Australia and Scotland in their remaining Group D matches on January 20 and 22, respectively, and Sumaiya sounded confident about overcoming those hurdles as well to book their place in the next round.

"Both Australia and Scotland are strong opponents. It's always challenging to play against them. But we also have a strong team. We always try to give our best on the field and will try to do the same in order to qualify for the next round. We are also very confident about it," Sumaiya said.

The top three teams from each of the four groups will progress to the two groups of Super Six, the top two teams from which will then play in the semis. The final of the second edition of the global meet will be held on February 2.

Apart from having a few camps and the U-19 Asia Cup campaign last December, the women's U-19 team also recently toured Sri Lanka where they finished the four-match T20 series 2-2. Meanwhile, players like Sumaiya, Habiba Islam Pinky, and Nishita Akter Nishi already have experience representing the senior side.

"We had a very good preparation. We worked so hard and we worked on our fitness, technique, and mental aspects. Our coaching staff also guided us in the right direction," the skipper said.

"Many of our players have experience in international cricket. I think it will be helpful for us. They can help the team with their experience. They can teach how to play good cricket under pressure," added Sumaiya, claiming their primary target is to become champions in the event.

"Our primary target is to become champions. We worked really hard and we want to become champions. We know that it won't be easy but we are always ready to give our best shot," she concluded.