Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi has never been a lucky ground for Bangladesh in T20Is. On this very ground, the Tigers have bitter-sweet memories. Before their clash against Hong Kong in the ongoing Asia Cup, Bangladesh had played two matches here during the 2021 T20 World Cup and lost both.
However, in the 2025 Asia Cup, Bangladesh found themselves experiencing it all on this ground: the sweet taste of victory, the bitterness of defeat, and the thrill of a nail-biting win. Eventually, Litton Das and his teammates had to rely on Sri Lanka’s result against Afghanistan to secure a spot in the Super Four. Just when the Tigers were on the verge of elimination, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium turned into the stage of their revival.
This Super Four qualification came as a bonus for Bangladesh. If not for Sri Lanka, ironically, their old rivals, they would already be on a return flight home.
At the end of the day, cricket is largely a game of numbers, net run rates, equations, and fortunes that sometimes depend on other teams’ results. Especially in tournaments like the Asia Cup, where teams play in a round-robin format, it is common for sides to rely on others to progress even if they do not want to. For Bangladesh, this is nothing new. In multinational tournaments, they often find themselves in such situations, keeping a close eye on other teams’ matches.
Bangladesh began their Asia Cup campaign with a convincing seven-wicket win over Hong Kong. In their second match, however, they were thrashed by Sri Lanka while defending just 139. That six-wicket defeat, with 32 balls to spare, dented their net run rate badly, dropping it from +1.001 to -0.650.
Before worrying about equations and scenarios, Bangladesh first had to win their do-or-die match against Afghanistan on Tuesday. And they did, defending 154 as the Afghans fell eight runs short of the target. Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck a fine fifty, the spin duo of Nasum Ahmed and Rishad Hossain delivered some magic, while Mustafizur Rahman showed his expertise at the death overs. Had Bangladesh lost that match, their Asia Cup journey would have ended right there.
Yet, even after that hard-fought eight-run win, Bangladesh remained behind Afghanistan in terms of net run rate. With four points, Bangladesh’s NRR stood at -0.27 compared to Afghanistan’s +2.150.
It all came down to the final group match. The equation was simple: Sri Lanka had to beat Afghanistan for Bangladesh to qualify. That is exactly what happened, as Sri Lanka sealed a dominating six-wicket victory chasing 170 with 8 balls remaining. Bangladesh’s passage to the Super Four was confirmed.
The players celebrated the unexpected lifeline. Pacer Taskin Ahmed posted a happy photo with the caption, “Yaay, we qualified.” Teammates like Saif Hassan and Rishad Hossain also expressed their joy on social media.
Bangladesh now faces Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan in the Super Four. Since this qualification came as a bonus, the Tigers must make the most of it by addressing their shortcomings. One key issue is finding the right balance in the playing XI.
Against Afghanistan, Bangladesh played only four genuine bowlers and lacked a proper fifth option. Though Saif Hassan and Shamim Patwary were used as part-timers, the duo conceded 55 runs in their combined four overs. Against stronger sides like India or Pakistan, Bangladesh cannot afford to leak so many runs just to strengthen the batting lineup.
Another pressing concern is Towhid Hridoy’s form. His poor run of scores continues, and his body language and intent suggest he is far from his best. As he usually bats in the middle overs, a crucial phase in T20 cricket, his struggles are hurting the team. Nurul Hasan Sohan could be considered as an alternative.
On the brighter side, the opening woes seem to have eased. The new partnership of Saif and Tanzid finally clicked, guiding Bangladesh past 50 in the powerplay for the first time in 13 T20I innings.
Bangladesh have been handed a lifeline, a second chance. Now it is up to them to make the most of it.
