Dubai: Under the bright lights of Dubai, India defeated Bangladesh by 41 runs in a high-pressure match to secure their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final. With this result, Sri Lanka was also eliminated from the tournament, paving the way for India to win another title.
And at the center of it all was Abhishek Sharma, who turned the evening into a personal moment. The 23-year-old opening batsman played a brilliant innings of 75 runs off just 37 balls, giving India a great start, but the bowlers then took the match home with their brilliant performance.
Turning Point: Powerplay Madness
The match turned in India’s favor in the first six overs. The situation seemed a bit difficult for the first three overs—India managed to score only 17 runs, while Bangladesh’s bowlers exerted their full might. But then, almost in an instant, everything changed.
Abhishek turned the tables. He tore apart the bowling attack, smashing three sixes and four huge fours in a short time. Shubman Gill also hit a six and a four, and India quickly gained the upper hand.
From 17/0 in three overs to 72/0 in six, India completely changed the momentum. Bangladesh, on the other hand, reached 44/1 in the powerplay and were already behind the target.
India’s innings: A strong start, then a falter
After a strong start in the powerplay, India’s innings lost some momentum. Gill’s dismissal for 29 slowed the game down, and wickets began to fall steadily. Abhishek, who was still in attacking form, reached his half-century in just 25 balls, but an unfortunate run-out in the 12th over cut short his brilliant innings.
This dismissal gave Bangladesh a chance to make a comeback in the match. Rishad Hussain bowled brilliantly, and Mustafizur Rahman kept the match tight. India’s score was 132/5 in the 15th over.
Thankfully, Hardik Pandya played a crucial innings of 38 runs for India. His fours in the final overs took the score to 168/6, which seemed competitive but not out of reach.
Bangladesh’s Answer: Saif single-handedly fought
Chasing a target of 169, Bangladesh needed a strong start, but India’s new bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, ensured that didn’t happen. The real challenge came from Saif Hasan, who played a brilliant innings of 69 runs off 51 balls and tried to hold the team together.
But he was fighting alone. Wickets kept falling at the other end, increasing the pressure. India’s spinners sensed this and batted aggressively.
Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) was unplayable, working his magic in the middle overs. Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel increased the pressure and forced errors from the Bangladeshi middle order. Whenever they attempted to counterattack, India countered.
By the time Bumrah returned and consolidated the lower order, the match was already over. Bangladesh collapsed for 127, falling well short of the target.
Big Picture
This victory not only secured India’s place in the Asia Cup final but also ended Sri Lanka’s campaign, as the defending champions are now out of contention.
For India, this match once again highlighted their depth – young stars like Abhishek Bachchan are emerging, while experienced bowlers are performing well in difficult conditions. The final is just around the corner, and the Indian team appears to be peaking at the right time.
—
Key Stats at a Glance
- Abhishek Sharma: 75 (37), 6 fours and 5 sixes
- Hardik Pandya: 38 (28)
- India Powerplay: 72/0 in 6 overs
- Kuldeep Yadav: 3/18
- Bangladesh Total: 127 all out (18.5 overs)
