Abhishek’s Sixes, Spinners Sink Bangla Hopes
Drops Galore, But India Cruises to Asia Cup Final
Dubai: India sealed a commanding yet gritty 41-run victory over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 24, 2025, storming into the final unbeaten and setting up a blockbuster showdown with the winner of tomorrow’s Pakistan-Bangladesh encounter.
This high-stakes night fixture under the floodlights, laced with the familiar subcontinental intensity and a touch of dew-factor drama, showcased India’s depth despite a middling batting effort, as Abhishek Sharma’s explosive half-century and a spin-led demolition job propelled them to a par total defence that left Bangladesh reeling at 127 all out, 42 runs short of the 169-run target.
Bangladesh captain Jaker Ali, stepping in for the injured Litton Das, won the toss and astutely opted to bowl first on a pitch offering early swing before settling into a grippy surface favouring spinners later. India erupted in the powerplay, racing to a blistering 72 without loss at 12 runs per over, powered by openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s aggressive intent. Abhishek, the tournament’s breakout star, unleashed a ferocious 75 off just 37 balls—laced with six fours and five towering sixes—carving Bangladesh’s new-ball attack to ribbons. His onslaught included a carved six over backward point off Mustafizur Rahman to bring up his fifty in 25 balls, a pumped straight six against Nasum Ahmed, and a massive leg-side hit that sailed into the stands, equaling Suresh Raina’s record for most T20I sixes by an Indian in fewer innings (58 in 21 outings, one shy of Yuvraj Singh’s tally). Gill complemented with a brisk 29 off 19, including a pulled six off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, as their 77-run stand in 6.2 overs threatened a 200-plus total on a batsman-friendly Dubai deck where first-innings averages hovered around 170.
Yet, the momentum swung dramatically post-powerplay, marking the turning point of the game: Rishad Hossain’s sharp fielding brilliance engineered Abhishek’s run-out at backward point in the 11.1 over, with India at 112/3, abruptly halting the fireworks and exposing a fragile middle order. What seemed destined for 200 crumbled to a below-par 168/6, as Bangladesh’s cutters and variations—led by Rishad’s 2/27, including Shivam Dube for 2 and Suryakumar Yadav’s scratchy 5—choked the scoring in the middle overs, conceding just 24 runs for two wickets between overs 7-10. Suryakumar, dismissed edging an off-cutter to Jaker Ali, and Tilak Varma’s limp 5 off 7 added to the anxiety, with sloppy fielding lapses like dropped catches compounding the slowdown. Hardik Pandya’s gritty 38 off 29, featuring four fours and a six, provided late impetus, but Mohammad Saifuddin’s superb final over—conceding just 4 runs and snaring Hardik—ensured India settled for a gettable target, extras limited to 4 (2 wides, 1 no-ball, 1 leg-bye).
The chase began promisingly for Bangladesh, with Saif Hassan anchoring a defiant 69 off 51—his knock adorned with three fours and five sixes, including a massive hit off Axar Patel that briefly ignited hopes—but it was a lone hand marred by controversy and fielding howlers. Dropped four times by India—at 10 by Hardik Pandya at mid-off, 25 by Shivam Dube at mid-on, 40 by Tilak Varma at deep midwicket, and 55 by Abhishek Sharma at deep backward square—these lapses, the most catches dropped by Indian fielders off a single batter in a T20I innings, allowed Saif’s resilience to keep Bangladesh in the hunt, pushing them to 65/3 after 10 overs, but lacked support as the required rate climbed past 10.
The early blows came from India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who struck twice in his probing 4-0-18-2 spell, removing Tanzid Hasan for 1 with a leading edge caught by Dube at mid-on and later Saif, caught juggling by Axar Patel at long-on after a skier—his figures a strong comeback after a below-par 0/45 in the previous match against Pakistan, where he was unusually expensive at 11.25 an over, as he bowled 38.4% of deliveries in the hard length zone for just 1/28 off 26 balls earlier in the tournament but returned wicketless and costly in Dubai’s dew.
Parvez Hossain Emon’s 21 off 19 offered fleeting resistance with a six off Kuldeep Yadav, but Towhid Hridoy’s 7 off 10 fell to Axar’s arm-ball, and Shamim Hossain’s golden duck to Varun Chakaravarthy’s googly signalled collapse.
India’s spinners then turned the screw in a masterclass, with Kuldeep Yadav’s wizardry (3/18 in 4 overs) dismantling the middle order—trapping Rishad for 2 and Jaker Ali run-out for 4 via Suryakumar’s direct hit—while Varun Chakaravarthy (2/29) claimed Mohammad Saifuddin and Mustafizur Rahman.
Axar Patel chipped in with 1/20, as Bangladesh lost their last six wickets for 36 runs in the final 9.3 overs, folding at 127 with the dew minimally aiding their cause on a turning track. Powerplay for Bangladesh yielded 42/1 (RR 7.00), a stark contrast to India’s explosion, underscoring the game’s psychological shift after Abhishek’s fall.
Bangladesh’s bowlers drew praise for their death-over discipline, and India’s fielding frailties—those four drops of Saif, pushing India’s tournament total to 12 dropped catches at 67.5% efficiency—sparked post-match murmurs about complacency, but referee Andy Pycroft reported no formal issues.
Abhishek Sharma, earning Player of the Match honours for the second straight game, reflected on his run-out with characteristic fire: “It was heartbreaking to get out that way when we were eyeing 200, but credit to Rishad for that throw—sharp as a knife. I just wanted to set the tone with those sixes; the ball was coming on nicely early, and I backed my instincts against their cutters.” Captain Suryakumar Yadav, beaming in the post-match huddle, lauded his side’s resilience: “We weren’t at our batting best after that brilliant start, but the way the spinners—Kuldeep and Varun—turned it on was world-class. This team’s stepping up every game; qualifying unbeaten feels special, but the final’s where we empty the tank.” Kuldeep Yadav, whose match-winning spell vaulted India to victory, added: “The pitch gripped just enough for my wrongs to bite; getting Saif was huge. We’ve gelled as a unit—Bumrah sets it up, and we finish.” Bangladesh’s Jaker Ali, gracious in defeat, rued the drops: “Saif carried us, but those chances cost us 30-40 runs. We bowled tight to restrict them, but chasing 169 needed more partnerships.”
This triumph extended India’s flawless Super Four run to three wins, boosting their net run rate to +1.245 and eliminating Sri Lanka in the process, while forcing Bangladesh into a do-or-die against Pakistan in the crucial Asia Cup match tomorrow, touted as the semi-final between the two.
In a tournament defined by subcontinental flair and unyielding pressure, India’s blend of Abhishek’s pyrotechnics, spin sorcery, and unshakeable composure transcended the scoreboard, etching another chapter in their dominant Asia Cup legacy—now eyeing a record-extending fifth title on September 28. The electric Dubai night not only confirmed qualification but reignited the age-old debate: in Asia Cup knockouts, does batting bravado or bowling bite win the day? For India, it’s both, seamlessly fused.
– global bihari bureau
