Bangladesh, led by interim captain Jaker Ali, is poised for a pivotal T20 Asia Cup showdown against Pakistan. This virtual semifinal clash will decide which team faces India in the grand final. Drawing confidence from a recent 2-1 series victory against Pakistan on home turf in July, the Bangladesh squad is ready to leverage those valuable experiences.
“We approach every opponent with respect, but our primary focus remains on our own strengths and capabilities,” stated Jaker Ali in a pre-match press conference. “Our recent encounters with Pakistan, both at home and away, have provided us with crucial insights that will be invaluable as we move forward.”
Pakistan enters this encounter on the back of a convincing five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their Super Fours fixture held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Meanwhile, India has already cemented their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final by defeating Bangladesh by 41 runs in a Super Fours match in Dubai on Wednesday.
Consequently, the upcoming match between India and Sri Lanka in Dubai on Friday will serve merely as a formality, as the victor of the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh game will complete the final lineup. The stage is set in Dubai, UAE, for a thrilling contest as both teams vie for their spot in the championship.
Bangladesh Squad for Asia Cup: Litton Das (c), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Shaif Uddin.
Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.