If Bangladesh had managed to beat India in the Super Four clash, they would have secured a place in the Asia Cup final. Despite restricting a strong, batter-heavy Indian side to just 169, Bangladesh fell cheaply for 127 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Now, everything comes down to tonight’s do-or-die clash against Pakistan at the same venue. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh kept their final’s dream by beating Sri Lanka, and both subsequently lost to India.
The winner of this high-stakes match will earn a shot at the final against India on 28th September. After the 41-run defeat against India, Bangladesh remain hopeful of making the final, while Pakistan will be eager for another shot at the defending champions.
Stand-in captain Jaker Ali remains confident about his team’s chances. Ahead of the Pakistan clash, he said the side is determined to win the Asia Cup.
“There’s no doubt about this. Even when we lost to Sri Lanka, I said we are here to become champions. Tomorrow’s game is as important for them as it is for us. We’ll play with the same bravery, InshaAllah, and we’ll try to reach the final. We’re here to play for the championship,” Jaker said in the post-match press conference.
On the other side, Pakistani star Shaheen Shah Afridi is ready to challenge Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh is a very good team. They’ve been playing well recently. When you play against a good side, you must land the first punch. You can’t give them opportunities. We have to play good cricket in batting, bowling, and fielding. All our focus is now on the Bangladesh match,” Shaheen said after Pakistan’s win over Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
Historically, Bangladesh and Pakistan have met in 25 T20Is, with Pakistan dominating 20 of those encounters. However, Bangladesh’s recent form is notable, they won a three-match T20I series against Pakistan at home in July. In the last six encounters, Pakistan leads just 3-2.
As Pakistan is a familiar opponent, Bangladesh plan to stick to their tried-and-tested game plan, but Jaker emphasizes that batting must fire for them to qualify.
Jaker said, “The plan will remain the same tomorrow. Bowling-wise, we’ve done well, and batting-wise, we’ve shown quality in this tournament. To win matches, batting has to click. There’s no reason to be hopeless. Tomorrow’s game is equally important for them and for us. We’ll give our best performance and fight to win.”
Despite all the ups and downs and the setbacks, Bangladesh’s Asia Cup dream has one clear path: win against Pakistan tonight. Simple, yet crucial.
– Jubayer Tanin, from Dubai
