'Any team can beat India': Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons
What's the story
Ahead of the 2025 Men's T20 Asia Cup Super Four clash, Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has said that any team can beat India. The statement comes as Bangladesh gear up to take on the tournament favorites in Dubai on Wednesday. Notably, India have been unbeaten in the T20 Asia Cup so far, beating UAE, Pakistan (twice), and Oman.
Match dynamics
Simmons emphasizes on playing their best cricket
Simmons stressed that cricket is a game played on the day, not based on past performances. He said, "Every team has the ability to beat India. The game is played on the day-it's not about what India has done before, but what happens on Wednesday during that three-and-a-half-hour period." The coach also emphasized his team's strategy to play their best cricket and capitalize on any mistakes made by India.
Game excitement
Coach acknowledges the hype surrounding India matches
Simmons acknowledged the hype that comes with every match, especially those against India. He said, "Every game has hype, especially those involving India, because they're the number one T20 team globally." The coach also stressed on enjoying the moment and delivering their best performance. "We're going to ride that wave, enjoy the moment, and savor the game. That's our approach to enjoy ourselves, and therefore, deliver our best performance."
Match logistics
Simmons thinks toss won't matter much
Simmons believes the toss won't matter much in the match owing to the pitch quality. He said, "I didn't notice much difference in the wicket over 40 overs. These are some of the best pitches I've seen here in quite some time." However, he did express concerns about playing "back-to-back T20 matches" against India and Pakistan on consecutive days, calling it extremely difficult.
H2h record
India's dominance over Bangladesh in T20Is
As per ESPNcricinfo, the Indian cricket team has a 16-1 win-loss record against Bangladesh in T20I cricket. Its only defeat was in the first of the three-match series in 2019. India then bounced back to win the second and third matches. Last year, India swept Bangladesh 3-0 in the T20I series at home. The Tigers would be raring to improve this record.
Performance
Team India unbeaten in Asia Cup
As mentioned, India are unbeaten in the ongoing Asia Cup. They have won all their matches convincingly. India are coming off a six-wicket win over Pakistan in their first Super Four clash in Dubai. Abhishek Sharma has been a menace in the Powerplay, scoring 132 runs while striking at 216.39. Arguably the most effective bowler in Asia Cup 2025, Kuldeep Yadav has taken nine wickets at an economy of 6.