India secure their spot in the 2025 Asia Cup final after a commanding 41-run win over Bangladesh in the Super Fours stage.
With a match to spare in the Super Fours, India have confidently advanced to the final of the 2025 Asia Cup by defeating Bangladesh by 41 runs.
Opening batsman Abhishek Sharma was the standout performer, smashing 75 runs off just 37 deliveries to anchor India’s total of 168 for 6. On the bowling front, Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental, claiming 3 wickets for 18 runs.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Sharma’s explosive knock featured five towering sixes, marking his fourth half-century in T20 internationals. India opted to bat first after Bangladesh won the toss in this Wednesday clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Despite a brief middle-order collapse, Hardik Pandya contributed a vital 38 runs off 29 balls. However, the final total seemed just adequate on a slow pitch that offered assistance to bowlers.
In response, Bangladesh were bundled out for 127 runs. Saif Hassan was the lone bright spot with a resilient 69 off 51 balls, his fourth T20 half-century, but it wasn’t sufficient to secure a second Super Fours win after their earlier triumph over Sri Lanka.
India’s fielding was below par, dropping five catches, which kept Bangladesh in the hunt longer than expected. Nevertheless, the combined efforts of Sharma’s batting and the spin attack ensured India’s passage to the final.
This marks India’s second appearance in the Asia Cup T20 final, having previously lifted the trophy in 2016 by defeating Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will face Pakistan at the same venue on Thursday to decide the other finalist, while Sri Lanka’s campaign ended following India’s victory.
India’s openers began cautiously but quickly accelerated, scoring 21 runs in the fourth over. The partnership between Sharma and Shubman Gill flourished, adding 77 runs off 38 balls for the opening wicket.
The powerplay concluded with India at a commanding 72 without loss. Gill contributed 29 runs from 19 balls, including two sixes, before being caught by Rishad Hossain at long off in the seventh over.
Hossain struck again soon after, dismissing Shivam Dube, who was promoted up the order but managed only two runs, caught in a similar fashion. India slipped to 83 for 2 in 8.1 overs.
Sharma, however, was unstoppable, dispatching both spinners and pacers with ease and reaching his second consecutive half-century off just 25 balls.
India crossed the 100-run mark shortly after the halfway point, with Sharma adding 29 runs off 18 balls for the third wicket, despite captain Suryakumar Yadav contributing a mere four runs to the stand.
Sharma added 25 runs from the next 12 deliveries before a crucial moment in the 12th over when Hossain executed a sharp run-out, leaving Sharma stranded mid-pitch. Yadav (5) was dismissed five balls later, causing India to lose momentum at 114 for 4.
Hardik Pandya then steadied the innings with the lower middle order, pushing India past 150 in the 18th over. Pandya’s innings included four boundaries and a six, contributing 39 runs off 33 balls alongside Axar Patel, who remained unbeaten on 10.
Despite having wickets in hand, India managed only four runs in the final over, finishing short of their initial target of 180.
Jasprit Bumrah gave India an early breakthrough by dismissing Tanzid Hassan for a single run. Saif Hassan and Parvez Emon steadied the chase with a india-beat-pakistan-asia-cup-super-fours/” title=”Thrilling Victory: … Defeats Pakistan by Six Wickets in Asia Cup …!”>42-run partnership off 30 balls, but the introduction of India’s spinners quickly shifted the momentum.
Kuldeep Yadav removed Emon, caught at square leg for 21 runs from 19 balls. Varun Chakravarthy then bowled Shamim Hossain for a three-ball duck, while Axar Patel caught Towhid Hridoy for seven, leaving Bangladesh struggling at 74 for 4 in 10.4 overs.
Any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Suryakumar Yadav ran out Jaker Ali in the 13th over.
Saif Hassan fought valiantly, scoring his second consecutive half-century off 36 balls, including three fours and six sixes. However, he was fortunate to survive multiple drops on scores of 40, 60, 65, and 69.
Ultimately, the lack of support from the rest of the batting lineup allowed India’s spinners, including part-timer Tilak Varma, to claim seven wickets collectively, sealing India’s place in the final.
