India will book their place in the Sunday final of the 2025 Asian Cup with a 41-run Super Four victory over Bangladesh.
India reached the 2025 Asian Cup final in a Super Four Stage match with a 41-run victory over Bangladesh.
Opener Abhishek Sharma’s 37 ball, 75 off, led the way for his side to a total of 168-6 before Kuldeep Yadav scored 3-18.
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Sharma’s innings included five sixes as he reached the fourth T20th half century, in response to Bangladeshi’s decision to first win the field in Wednesday’s encounter.
After a middle-aged wobble by India, Hardik Pandya got 38 balls out of 29 balls, but it felt like it was nothing more than a standard effort with a slow wicket at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh responded with 127 despite Saif Hassan’s fourth T20th half century. He scored 69 out of 51 balls, but was not enough to get a second Super Four victory as he chased a similar target to the one that overcame Sri Lanka on Saturday.
The margin of victory may have been much larger, but Indian Fielding left him wanting again with five dropped catches, but the dominant display from Sharma and its spinners were enough to book a spot in the final.
It is the second time India, which won the title in 2016, has reached the Asian Cup T20 final after India beat Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will face Pakistan at the same venue on Thursday to decide the second finalist. India’s victory meant that Sri Lanka was eliminated.
The Indian opener got off to a careful start, but with 21 runs in the fourth, he quickly hit top gear and Sharma-Gill added 77 balls to the first wicket.
The power play scored 72-0, with Gill getting 29 balls off in two sixes. He collapsed for the seventh time and was caught by Richad Hossain in the long-off.
Two promoted Shivam Dubes went out and captured in the same way, leaving India at 83-2 in the 8.1 over.
However, he was unable to stop Sharma, who had freely belted the six men against the spinner and the pacer, and won consecutive balls from the 25th to 25th centuries.
India went over 100 past the mid-stage as Skipper Suryakumal Yadav contributed only four runs to the partnership, but Sharma scored 29 balls from 18 balls for the third wicket.
Sharma scored 25 from the next 12 balls, but a big moment came on the 12th when Hossain ran off the opener, which he had been stuck in the middle. Yadav (5) caught five balls as India lost all momentum 114-4.
Pandya helped to bring together a valuable partnership with low-middle orders, pushing India over 150 on the 18th. He hit four fours and sixes, adding Axar Patel and 33 33 ball off balls.
Despite having a wicket, India managed only the last four runs, finishing with the exception of the intended 180 target.
Jasprit Bumrah led the Indian bowler to a good start when he rejected Tanzid Hassan alone. Saif Hassan and Parvez Emmon put 42 balls on the way and got Chase back on track, but things changed as India launched a spinner as India attacked with the first spell.
Kuldeep Yadav sent Emmon back and was caught with 21 square legs from 19 balls. Varun Chakravarthy bowled Shamim Hossain for a three-ball duck. Meanwhile, Patel caught Touhid Fridoi by seven as Bangladesh slipped 74-4 in 10.4 overs.
Hopes for a conversion were cancelled as Suryakumar Yadav ran out of his counterpart, Jaker Ali, on the 13th.
However, Saif Hassan raised resistance. He reached a second consecutive half century from 36 balls, including three fours and six sixes. He enjoyed his luck along the way, stopping by Indian fielders at 40, 60, 65 and 69.
However, he couldn’t get enough support from his teammates. Indian spinners, including part-timer Tirak Balma, shared seven wickets to help their side reach the final.
