India face glitches but reach Asia Cup final after 41-run victory over Bangladesh

DUBAI: Despite a flawed performance, India stormed into the final of the Asia Cup 2025, after a 41-run triumph against Bangladesh in the Super Fours clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday.

After being put to bat, India posted 168/6, riding high on Abhishek Sharma’s scorching 71-run blitz and Hardik Pandya’s finishing touches of 38(29).

It wasn’t a perfect performance from India though; four dropped catches and a mini batting collapse in the middle of the innings highlighted some problems. Despite the fragmented display, India booked its place in the final unbeaten and ended Sri Lanka’s campaign in the Super Fours.

Bangladesh’s fixture against Pakistan has turned into a virtual semi-final on Thursday. The winner of the contest will fight for the title against the world champions.

Saif Hassan was the sole aggressor throughout the modest 169-run chase. India’s fielding woes were on display as Saif received a staggering four lifelines after being dropped on scores of 40, 65, 66 and 67. His innings eventually concluded after the fifth catch was taken by Axar Patel.

After a rather unsuccessful run against Pakistan, Jasprit Bumrah returned to wicket-taking ways. He set the tone of Bangladesh’s chase on his second delivery by forcing a leading edge from Tanzid Hasan Tamim (1 off 3), which landed safely in Shivam Dube’s hands.

Saif Hassan and Parvez Hossain Emon stitched a 42-run stand for the second wicket as Bangladesh ended the powerplay with 44/1. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav threw his premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav into the attack and instantly reaped rewards.

On the second ball after the powerplay, Emon deployed the slog sweep but holed it out to Abhishek Sharma. Boundaries dried up, and Towhid Hridoy perished against Axar Patel and returned with a rustic 7(10). Bangladesh’s woes increased after mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy bustled around from the stump to clean up Shamim Hossain for a three-ball duck.

The pattern continued, leaving Saif bereft of support from the other end. Kuldeep continued to run rampant, removing Rishad Hossain and Tanzim Hasan Sakib on two consecutive deliveries in the 17th over. Tilak wrapped up Bangladesh’s innings on 127, by dismissing Mustafizur Rahman to power India into the final.

Earlier in the innings, India started slowly, making only 17 runs in the first three overs. After a slow start, Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill bashed Bangladesh bowlers to reach their highest score in the power-play 72-0 in the ongoing Asia Cup.

Sharma again provided India a flying start. Right after the power play, Rishad Hossain removed Shubman Gill for 29 runs off 19 balls. In the following over, Sharma brought up his second fifty of the tournament, after he clipped through the vacant mid-wicket pocket for a single off Saif Hassan.

After India lost Gill in the 7th over, captain Suryakumar Yadav promoted Shivam Dube to the number 3 spot. The plan failed miserably as Dube got out for two runs off three balls.

India crossed the 100-run mark in the 11th over. In the 11th over, Suryakumar Yadav played the ball towards backward point, where Rishad Hossain stopped it with a dive.

Sharma left his crease looking for a single, but he was sent back. Rishad waited for a moment and fired a flat throw at the bowler’s end. Seamer Mustafizur Rahman was equally calm while gathering the throw, and he whips off the bails before Sharma could get back in the crease.

Sharma was removed after a brilliant 75 off just 37 balls. In the same over, Rahman removed Suryakumar for 5 runs off 11 balls. He also completed 150 T20I wickets, becoming the first Bangladeshi to do so and the overall 4th to reach the milestone.

After 10 overs, Bangladeshi bowlers made a comeback, conceding less than 35 runs in the next five overs. Tanzim Hasan, after a fiery spell, got his first scalp of the match as he removed Tilak Varma in the 15th over for five.

India lost further wickets, but the focal point was Sanju Samson’s absence from the crease, as he didn’t come out to bat despite India being reduced to five down. Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel steadily took the Indian innings to a respectable total after a bunch of wickets fell. However, Axar Patel struggled to score runs as he played at a strike rate of 66.67.

India struggled in the final over, managing just four runs, and suffered a late blow with Hardik Pandya’s wicket falling on the last ball of the innings, with Pandya scoring 38 runs. Bangladesh bowler only conceded 72 runs in the last 10 overs. Rishad Hossain was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh, scalping two wickets.

India 168/6 (Abhishek Sharma 75, Hardik Pandya 38; Rishad Hossain 2/27). Vs Bangladesh 127 (Saif Hassan 69, Parvez Hossain Emon 21; Kuldeep Yadav 3/18). (ANI)