Bangladesh will walk into the Dubai International Stadium tonight knowing exactly what stands in front of them: an Indian side that has yet to lose a game in this Asia Cup and carries three No. 1 ranked players in T20 cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav’s team brushed aside Pakistan in their last outing, chasing down 172 with more than an over to spare. Before that, they eased past Oman and Sri Lanka, powered by the heavy scoring of opener Abhishek Sharma and the control of spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.
India have been clinical — and the numbers tell the story. Since the start of 2024 they have lost just three of 35 T20 internationals.
But Bangladesh come into the contest with their own momentum. Liton Das’s side beat Sri Lanka in their first Super Four match, a chase that went deep into the final over and showed a steel not always associated with Bangladesh in this format.
Saif Hassan’s fifty and Towhid Hridoy’s return to form have given them reason to believe.
The question is how to transfer that belief into a result against a team that, on paper, has very few weak points. The blueprint may lie in the small margins.
India’s top order — Sharma and Shubman Gill — tends to explode in the powerplay. Getting Sharma early will be crucial; his strike rate of nearly 200 means even a 30-ball stay can be match-defining. Offspinner Mahedi Hasan and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed are options Bangladesh might lean on with the new ball.
Gill, too, has vulnerabilities. He has been prone to lbw when trapped by fuller deliveries on the stumps, and there are questions about his judgment outside off.
Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman, familiar with Indian batters through IPL, will need to find those lines quickly.
For Bangladesh’s batters, the challenge is to keep the scoreboard moving against India’s spinners. Kuldeep and Varun rarely offer loose deliveries, so strike rotation will be key.
Liton, if fit after a recent training injury, and Tanzid Hasan must take advantage of the fielding restrictions. A strong platform is non-negotiable if Bangladesh are to dream of 180-plus.
The toss could play its part. Dew in Dubai has made defending totals tricky, with bowlers struggling to grip the ball under lights. India, confident chasers throughout this tournament, have thrived on it. Bangladesh will have to weigh the benefits of batting first — and perhaps forcing India into an uncomfortable chase — against the risk of bowling second with a wet ball.
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Beyond tactics, there is history. Bangladesh have beaten India only once in 17 T20 meetings, in Delhi in 2019. The venue then, a sluggish pitch aiding spinners, bears some resemblance to Dubai. That sliver of precedent may be what Liton and his team cling to.
Nobody is under illusions. India start as overwhelming favorites. Yet Bangladesh have shown enough resilience this tournament to believe they can at least stretch the contest. As Mustafizur said after the win against Sri Lanka, “On the day, one spell or one partnership can change everything.”
For Bangladesh, that day needs to be today.