Asia cup, India vs Bangladesh: Dissecting key player battles
What's the story
India will face Bangladesh in a crucial Super Four clash of the Asia Cup 2025. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, at Dubai International Stadium. It will start at 8pm IST. After defeating Pakistan in a thrilling Super Four encounter, India remain unbeaten and are looking to continue their winning streak against Bangladesh. Here we look at the key player battles that can be on display in the upcoming game.
#1
Abhishek Sharma vs Taskin Ahmed
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has been a menace in the powerplay in the ongoing tourney. 132 of his 173 runs in this tourney have come in the first six overs, as per ESPNcricinfo. The southpaw's strike rate in this phase is a stunning 216.39. Known for his ability to strike with the new ball, Taskin Ahmed will have the onus to send Abhishek early. In T20Is, the pacer owns 38 powerplay wickets at an economy of 6.79.
#2
Litton Das vs Japrit Bumrah
Bangladesh skipper Litton Das will be required to lead from the front. However, Jasprit Bumrah's thunderbolts can give the batter a hard time. The pacer would be raring to bounce back after enduring a rough outing against Pakistan in his preceding outing, where he was hit for 45 runs in four wicket-less overs. Notably, Bumrah has not trapped Litton even once across six international innings.
#3
Towhid Hridoy vs Kuldeep Yadav
Arguably the most effective bowler in this tourney, Kuldeep Yadav has taken nine wickets at an economy of 6. His brilliance in the middle overs has often led to batting collapses. Towhid Hridoy, who is fresh from a match-winning 58 against Sri Lanka, will have the onus to counter the Kuldeep threat. However, he has fallen to left-arm spinners eight times across 21 T20I innings.
#4
Suryakumar Yadav vs Mustafizur Rahman
Another Indian batter who can give Bangladesh a hard time is the dashing Suryakumar Yadav. The Indian skipper, who was out for a duck in his last outing against Pakistan, will be looking to make amends. His battle with Mustafizur Rahman's variation and accuracy will be enticing. Notably, the left-arm pacer has trapped SKY twice across four T20I meetings.