The 2023 Asia Cup marks the tournament’s 16th edition, featuring an ODI format and co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Set to take place in August and September 2023, the competition will showcase the participation of six teams. Notably, Sri Lanka enters the event as the defending champions. The tournament will start on August 30, and Bangladesh is one of the contenders for the trophy. But can Bangladesh win the Asia Cup 2023? Let’s find out.

Overview of Bangladesh's overall record in Asia Cup Cricket Tournaments So Far

Table: Bangladesh’s Performance in Asia Cup

Bangladesh has participated in the Asia Cup Cricket Tournament multiple times since its inception in 1984. Bangladesh played the first Asia Cup in 1986. Over the years, Bangladesh’s performance in the tournament has shown improvement, and they have established themselves as a competitive team in the region.

Read more: Asia Cup 2023 Fixtures: Team List, Schedule, and Venues

Bangladesh’s best performances in the Asia Cup came in 2012, 2016, and 2018 when they reached the final. In 2012, Bangladesh hosted the tournament and made it to the final but lost to Pakistan. In 2016, they once again reached the final but were defeated by India. In 2016, Bangladesh had a strong campaign, reaching the final for the third time, but lost to India.

Apart from these notable achievements, Bangladesh has also had some decent performances in other editions of the Asia Cup. They have reached the semifinals on a few occasions and have consistently been a competitive team in the tournament.

However, Bangladesh has not yet managed to win the Asia Cup title. They have come close on multiple occasions but have fallen short in the final matches. Despite this, their performances have shown progress and have earned them respect in the cricketing world.

Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group A

Strength of the Bangladesh Squad in Asia Cup 2023

The selection panel of Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced the 17-member team for Asia Cup 2023; Shakib Al Hasan has been made the captain of this team. The squad consists of Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, and Mohammad Naim. Tanzid Hasan Tamim and the previously uncapped Shamim Hossain are the two new faces in the team.

Considering the most recent performance, Bangladesh appears to have a balanced team. While almost all the players have enough experience playing in big tournaments, Shamim and Tanjid might be Bangladesh's weak points. But Shamim is excellent in T20. He also proved himself in ODI matches, scoring 600 runs in 35 matches from 2018-2020. Tanjid scored 1018 runs in 34 matches in ODI matches against different top-class teams in the world. So, he can contribute greatly.

Shakib, Litton, Shanto, Hridoy, Taskin, and Ebadot will surely play a great role for Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. Hence, they are the strength of Bangladesh.

Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group B

Prospect of Bangladesh ODI Squad in the Upcoming Asia Cup 2023

Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the group stage at group B. When the group was announced, Bangladesh was considered to be the strongest in this group. However, the recent defeat against Afghanistan in a three-match series has raised concerns about Bangladesh’s potential performance in the Asia Cup 2023. But, apparently, Bangladesh seemed to learn from defeat and won the last match of the series by seven wickets. And after that, the T20 series win against Afghans increased Bangladesh’s potential.

Bangladesh will meet Sri Lanka after two years. Last time they met in Dhaka in a three-match series. Bangladesh won the series by 2-1. Sri Lanka will join the Asia Cup 2023 with a 10-win streak. However, these wins were not against any of the top teams, where Bangladesh has a winning record against India.

The ODI series victory of 2-1 against India in December 2022 stands as a prominent source of inspiration for Bangladesh, pushing them to strive for even greater accomplishments in the upcoming matches. The noteworthy progress demonstrated during the England and Ireland series further accentuates their determination. Notably, the Tigers have exhibited remarkable performances both at home and abroad, highlighting their evolving prowess and adaptability.

Considering their current level of performance, the Bangladesh cricket team holds a significant opportunity to win Asia Cup 2023 or, at the very least, secure a place in the final.

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Final Words

Bangladesh has shown significant improvement in cricket over the years and has become a competitive team in international tournaments. In the Asia Cup 2023, Bangladesh is expected to be a strong contender. They have a talented pool of players who have gained experience by participating in various domestic and international competitions. Bangladesh has the potential to perform well in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. With a balanced team and a mix of experienced and young players, they have the ability to compete against the best teams in the tournament.

Read more: Asia Cup 2023: Analysis of Bangladesh ODI Squad