new delhi, Sept 23
Fresh from overpowering arch-rivals Pakistan in a tense clash, a battle-hardened India now turn their focus to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Super 4 on Wednesday, a contest that carries the potential for sparks both on and off the field.
On paper, the matchup appears lopsided. India have beaten Bangladesh in 16 of their 17 T20I meetings, a record that underlines the gulf between the two sides. Yet, history between them has grown increasingly bitter since the 2015 ODI World Cup, when Rohit Sharma survived a close call at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In the years since, partisan crowds and simmering perceptions of India as a rival have added extra bite to their encounters.
That backdrop has only intensified with India-Bangladesh diplomatic ties currently strained following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. The BCCI even postponed a bilateral series originally scheduled for August, pushing it back to 2026, conditional on the restoration of a democratically elected regime.
On the field, however, India enter as clear favourites. Their batting is operating on a different level, spearheaded by Abhishek Sharma’s blistering form, a strike rate touching 210 and Shubman Gill’s resurgence, climbing to nearly 158 after the win over Pakistan. By contrast, Bangladesh’s top T20 scorers, captain Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy, strike at 129 and 124 respectively, numbers that pale against India’s firepower.
Bangladesh’s best hope lies in exploiting conditions with spin. Legspinner Rishad Hossain and offspinner Mahedi Hasan, backed by Mustafizur Rahman’s death-over bowling, could restrict India to a chaseable 150-160 if they bowl first. Their five-pronged attack, comprising Mustafizur, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, along with the spin duo is steady if unspectacular, though Mustafizur’s IPL experience makes him a genuine threat.
India, meanwhile, will have one eye on the middle order. Tilak Varma’s dip against spin in 2025 has been stark, a strike rate of just 115 and a dot-ball percentage nearing 40, compared to his 190-plus returns the previous year. With Sanju Samson likely joining him at Nos. 4 and 5, any wobble at the top could test the pair. While Rinku Singh offers a more reliable option against spin, continuity has often shaped India’s selection decisions.
Ultimately, Bangladesh’s challenge is as much about containment as ambition. Without the power-hitting depth to dominate India’s bowling, their route to an upset depends on making it a low-scoring scrap, a task easier said than done against an Indian side brimming with form and confidence.
Squads
India: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Bangladesh: Litton Das (captain, wicketkeeper), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin
