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Published : 24 Sep 2025, 10:26 PM
Bangladesh suffered a thumping 41-run defeat against India in their second Super Four game, as Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav led the favourites to the final of the Asia Cup.
Opting to field first, Bangladesh bowlers staged a fine comeback to keep India to 168-6 after the Indian openers threatened to run away with the game at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
In reply, the Tigers’ batters, barring Saif Hassan (69) and Parvez Hossain Emon (21), put on a tame show, failing to even reach double digits.
After taking out Jaker Ali (4) with a sharp underarm from short cover, Kuldeep took out Emon for a skier, and later sent Rishad Hossain (2) and Tanzim Hasan Sakib (0) packing with successive balls to trigger a collapse, virtually ending Bangladesh’s hopes.
With hope flickering out, Saif fought a lone battle, lacing his 51-ball knock with 5 sixes and 3 fours -- but it was far from enough as Bangladesh lost their last 5 wickets for just 18 runs.
Bangladesh will take on Pakistan on Thursday in a must-win tie in a bid to advance to the final.
Earlier, India looked set for a huge total when Abhishek Sharma, threatening to bat his side out of sight, and Shubman Gill powered them to 72 in the powerplay.
Abhishek blazed his way to a 37-ball 75, peppered with six fours and five sixes, while Gill chipped in with 29. At that stage, a score in excess of 200 seemed inevitable.
The tide began to turn in the ninth over when leg-spinner Rishad dismissed Gill and Shivam Dube in quick succession. Soon after, he produced a brilliant piece of fielding at backward point, running out Abhishek in a mix-up with his captain. That proved the turning point of the innings, draining India of the momentum they had built.
And from then on, the middle overs became a struggle for the Indians. Captain Suryakumar Yadav scratched his way to 5 off 11 before falling to Mustafizur Rahman, while Tilak Varma never settled.
With Yadav’s wicket, Mustafizur became the top T20I wicket-taker for Bangladesh with 150 scalps, past Shakib Al Hasan’s 149.
Hardik Pandya offered some resistance with a 29-ball 38, but Bangladesh’s bowlers kept a tight grip, refusing to let India accelerate.
India’s tactical call to back a left-right combination leaving Sanju Samson out — also failed to pay dividends.
The slowdown in the middle overs proved costly. Axar Patel struggled for fluency, crawling to 10 not out from 15, as India tumbled through the death overs and limped to a total far below what once seemed possible.
For Bangladesh, Rishad was the standout with two wickets and a decisive run-out, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib bowled superbly apart from a costly final over.
Saifuddin, used against the left-handers, gave away just seven runs in his two overs. Mustafizur and Tanzim chipped in with wickets as part of a disciplined all-round effort.
