🏏T20 Asia Cup 2025: IND vs BD, Match 16, A1 vs B2 - Super 4 @Dubai🏏 - Page 2

Thank you for the tag Raji

Thank you, Raji, for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to team India.

What's the weather like in Dubai today?

Hot. That is the simplest way to describe. It has been hot throughout this tournament and there will be no relief. But the evening temperatures have been dropping steadily. That won’t translate into a cool evening for the players by any stretch of imagination but it could make a difference with respect to the dew factor.

By Suryakumar Yadav’s definition of rivalry, India-Bangladesh contests should be no rivalry at all. India have bossed their neighbours to the west as they had those in the east in T20Is. The 17 contests have yielded a solitary victory for Bangladesh. It’s a pantomime rivalry, never blossoming into a full-fledged battle of equals, despite the niggles, fractured diplomacy, sporadic upsets and several hostile flashpoints that eventually fizzled out.

The echoes of a mismatch ring aloud on the eve of their latest encounter too. India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate was kinder in his assessment of Bangladesh. “We respect Bangladesh. I think they have a solid variety. They’ve kind of adapted their cricket to the new style of T20,” he said. But India are undefeated, swaggering and riding the wave of buoyancy after grounding every team to dust. Bangladesh are still feeling the pulse of the ever leaping format, a team unable to identify their USP. The reliance on left-arm spinners has gone; the surge of quicks has flatlined. The latest obsession is big-hitting batsmen, yet none this series has managed a strike rate of 130 plus. Their great gift is the diversity of their bowlers.

In the Super 4 stage, they beat Pakistan by six wickets on September 21. With two points and a strong NRR of +0.689, India lead the standings.

After the match against Bangladesh on September 24, Team India will play against Sri Lanka on September 26.

Bangladesh booked their spot in the Super 4 of the Asia Cup 2025 after finishing second in Group B. They beat Hong Kong by 7 wickets, lost to Sri Lanka by 7 wickets and edged Afghanistan by 8 runs.

In the Super Four, Bangladesh started with a 4-wicket win over Sri Lanka. They now sit third with two points and a +0.121 NRR. After today’s match, they will play tomorrow again, facing Pakistan in a crucial match.

It may be a little harsh on Bangladesh to play back-to-back critical games. Their opponent, Pakistan will have a day off today before the match on September 25.

India’s “overwhelming 16-1 head-to-head record” against the neighbours in T20Is. The last five matches all went India’s way.

“India have dominated the tournament so far, winning all four of their matches, including two comprehensive victories over Pakistan,” it notes.

Thanks for the tag and thread

"Litton had a short conversation with the physio and went inside. Didn't do any stretching, warmups, so most likely Jaker Ali will be leading today." - Atif Azam.

"Bumrah marking his run-up. Like Ryan ten Doeschate indicated, he could be rested for the next match against Sri Lanka if India win today and seal a spot." - Pratyush.

"Gautam Gambhir is taking a close at the pitch and then decides to take a walk from one end to the other," informs Pratyush. "Can spot Jaker Ali doing wicketkeeping drills, so looking like Litton (who strained his back during a net session) will play as a pure batter," he further adds. Shivam Dube is the first one to mark his bowling run-up..