The Bangladesh campaign in the Asia Cup Super 4 took a major hit after what the newspapers called one of the worst batting collapses ever against Pakistan. Chasing a modest target of 136, they lost by 11 runs. The defeat has brought into question their temperament under pressure and also has put an end to their hopes of participating in the final of Asia Cup 2025.
Bangladesh never really looked to be in control of what seemed a straightforward chase, starting right from the first over. There was an immediate impact from Shaheen Afridi with that new ball, with two of Bangladesh’s top three disappearing inside the powerplay.
That early damage left the middle order exposed, and from there, the team could not rebuild well, slipping further behind the asking rate while continuously losing wickets. After a few scraps of resistance, the chase from Bangladesh ended up without any conviction or clarity, falling disastrously short of the target.
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Coach cites Litton loss as the key setback
Following the contest, team head coach Phil Simmons addressed the defeat against Pakistan and attempted to turn the spotlight on the team’s absence of captain Litton Das. Litton, who had strained his back prior to the Super 4 clash against India, missed his second consecutive game, with Simmons suggesting that this was a major factor on the team’s side in their struggles.
“Bangladesh chased 160 two matches ago with the same batting order. We are not a team that can lose [Tanzid Tamim] and the captain simultaneously and easily replace them. We are not at that stage yet, though we are getting there. But losing our captain, who was in such good form, has been a big issue for us,” Simmons stated as quoted by The Daily Star.
While the injury absence of a senior campaigner like Litton was undeniably felt, Bangladesh’s batting performances raised many questions. Their inability to handle pressure situations and eternal collapses in crunch games was more than just the absence of a player.
The back-to-back defeats in the Super 4 stage have now dented Bangladesh’s campaign, putting them out of the finishing line. Pakistan will, therefore, face their arch-rivals India in the final on Sunday, September 28, in Dubai.
