India has guaranteed to be finalists in the Asia Cup 2025 after a breezing win over Bangladesh this Wednesday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav the team continues their unbeaten run, but their biggest win will come in the finals. Will India be the champions as the fairytale continues or will there be a twist in the story?
Format of Asia Cup 2025
Asia cup consists of a six team format. Two groups of three teams are divided, the top two from each group goes to the super four.Where the four play each other and top two go to the finals. India has already secured the final spot by being unbeaten, due to Pakistan and Bangladesh losing, whoever wins this game goes to the finals.
Is It a Semi-Final?
In simple terms, this is like a semi-final for the Asia Cup. Technically it is not,as the Super Four is a league after group stages and the Top two play the finals.In terms of the pressure and for the layman it is a semi-final.
Head to Head in Asia Cup 25/26
- Matches Played (this Asia Cup 2025, Super 4): 1
- Winner: Pakistan
- Result: Won by 6 wickets (chased 166 in 19.5 overs)
- Man of the Match: Saif Hassan (Bangladesh) – 69 runs
Bangladesh opened with batting and got 165/7 with Saif Hassan’s brilliant performance.Thus explains him winning the Man of the Match while being in the losing side.Pakistan chased the total very strategically picking up well from the top to the middle order.It was a close match as it ended in the last ball of the match
Probable XI (Bangladesh)
- Tanzid Hasan
- Saif Hassan
- Litton Das (captain & wicketkeeper)
- Towhid Hridoy
- Shamim Hossain
- Jaker Ali
- Rishad Hossain
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
- Nasum Ahmed
- Taskin Ahmed
- Mustafizur Rahman
Probable XI (Bangladesh)
- Salman Agha (Captain)
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Fakhar Zaman
- Saim Ayub
- Hussain Talat
- Mohammad Haris (Wicketkeeper)
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Faheem Ashraf
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Haris Rauf
- Abrar Ahmed
Pitch and conditions
What we have seen in Dubai is the majority of teams who have bowled first have won their games.This main factor being that the pitch takes time to settle, which makes batting first harder and bowling first easier.
Teams also prefer bowling first due to the heat which Dubai is known for.This match can be predicted from the toss decision itself ideally but, due to the stature of teams who are competing, either side has the courage and experience to win games in rain or sunshine.
Condition: Humidity to be present, No chances of rain.
Last 5 Match results
- Bangladesh: L, W, W, L, W
- Pakistan: W, L, W, L, W
Bangladesh and Pakistan both have two losses and three wins, and their recents being a win as well.This makes predicting the winner even harder as both will have the confidence from the last victory and will be looking to add to their second recent win.
What Can We Expect
Based on the last match, it sure looks like a tough contest, Pakistan had reached the extreme with having to score one run in one ball. Both teams are the favourites to be in the finals but only one spot is available.It will be a tough contest from the get go,It could sway either way.Even one tiny mistake could cost either of the teams the spot.
Writer’s Prediction
I would say the match up is definitely tough, including their recent form and last head to head match,the game could go either way.Performance on the pitch is almost identical from both teams.
So if there has to be a winner it will be from how they deal with the external sources. In those regards, I think Bangladesh will win due to just focusing on their cricket performance and not on controversies.
Written by: Hubaish
