Bangladesh's Path to Asia Cup Glory: Sharmin Akhter's Bold Belief Against India
On the eve of a seismic semi-final in Dubai, Bangladesh are refusing to tiptoe around the obvious. To become Asia Cup champions, they know there is no way around India. So they are choosing to run straight at the challenge.
“If we don't even believe that we can beat India, then we shouldn't even dream of becoming Asia Cup champions,” Sharmin Akhter Supta said, laying down the mental marker before Thursday’s clash at Dubai International Stadium. “I firmly believe that to win the Asia Cup, you inevitably have to face India at some stage, whether in the semifinal or the final. You must have that self-belief.”
Bangladesh have taken the hard road to get here. They squeezed past UAE, defending just 103 for 7, to sneak into the last four. It was not pretty. It was not dominant. But it was enough, and it underlined what this team leans on when the batting misfires: grit and a relentless bowling unit.
Sharmin and Nahida Akter were the ones who dragged them to a defendable total, stitching together a vital 42-run stand. Sharmin’s 38 off 31 balls, with three boundaries, and Nahida’s unbeaten 16 from 26 deliveries nudged Bangladesh over the 100-run mark. On that slow Dubai surface, it proved more than handy.
“Alhamdulillah that we were able to win yesterday's match (against UAE), even though it was a low-scoring one,” Nahida said. “Still, I’d say we won because of our strength, our bowling strength.”
She did not spare the pitch either.
“I feel it’s a bit of a slow-track wicket. On a pitch like that, I reckon 120–130 runs is a perfect total. That said, we were probably 10–15 runs short.”
The bowlers covered that shortfall. They usually do.
Drawing from 2018 – and a familiar giant
Bangladesh know what it takes to topple India in this competition. They have done it twice in the same tournament before. The 2018 Asia Cup in Malaysia remains a landmark in the country’s cricketing story: Bangladesh beat India in the group stage and then again in a tense final to lift the trophy.
Sharmin is reaching back to that memory bank.
“Even back in the 2018 Asia Cup when we became champions, we had to beat India in the group stage, and then we defeated them again in the final to claim the trophy,” she said. “As I mentioned earlier, back in 2018, we beat India twice on our way to becoming champions. India is undeniably a big name, but if you can beat them, the path to the Asia Cup becomes much clearer.”
History since then has not been so kind. From that final in 2018 to now, the two sides have met 13 times in T20Is. India have won 12 of those games. Bangladesh have managed just one victory.
The gulf is real, but it does not daunt this group.
“The same principle applies to us now: nothing is impossible,” Sharmin insisted. “Yes, they are a formidable team whose primary strength lies in their batting, whereas our primary strength is our bowling. If we can back up our bowling with an improved batting performance and play well on that particular day, I genuinely believe we can beat India.”
Enjoyment, not intimidation
For all the talk of India’s stature, Sharmin was clear: the badge on the opposition shirt cannot be allowed to play the game.
“When playing against India, there’s naturally a strong positive vibe among everyone to perform well, as India is a big name in Asian cricket,” she said. “I feel that this positive energy motivates the entire squad. If we perform well, there’s no doubt we’ll create a strong chance of winning.”
Her approach to preparation is stripped of drama.
“As for how I prepare myself, when I step onto the field, I don't overthink who the bowler is or how big the opposition is, focusing on that beforehand doesn't help. We never truly know what will happen on the field. On any given day, even the best bowler can have an off day, and an unexpected bowler can deliver an outstanding spell. That specific day is what really matters, how well your plans are designed and how effectively you execute them. I hope we stay focused on going in with a strong plan and executing it well.”
It is a message that fits neatly with knockout cricket. In a semi-final, reputations shrink; mistakes swell.
“In a knockout game, you have to treat whichever opponent you face as a tough team,” Sharmin said. “The main focus right now is to go out there and enjoy the game. You have to play with enjoyment, aim to minimize mistakes on that given day, and play strictly to win. At the end of the day, in a semifinal, how big a team is doesn't really matter all that much.”
Bowling as the spearhead, batters under the spotlight
Bangladesh’s identity is clear: they bowl to strangle, then hope the batters do just enough. Against UAE, that formula held. Against India, it will be stretched to its limits.
Nahida, though, believes the batting unit has far more to offer than a scratchy 103 for 7.
“Having said that, I know our batters are capable of much more. We have that belief in them, and we always hold that faith. InshaAllah, our batters will make a strong comeback,” she said.
She also underlined that the conditions will shape both tactics and expectations.
“Given the behavior of the pitch, or the kind of wicket we've been playing on here, I feel it’s a bit of a slow-track wicket. On a pitch like that, I reckon 120–130 runs is a perfect total.”
If Bangladesh can get close to that range, their bowlers will fancy their chances of dragging India into a scrap.
“Since we have a match against India tomorrow, we definitely have a team plan in place. We will try to bowl according to that plan. That said, India is a big team - as we all know - and everyone is well aware of their batting strength,” Nahida said.
Belief, or bust
Everything, in the end, comes back to belief. Not the soft, slogan-on-a-poster kind, but the sort that has to withstand 20 overs of pressure against one of the strongest batting line-ups in the women’s game.
Sharmin is not losing sleep over it. She is not dressing it up either. To become champions again, Bangladesh must do what they did in 2018: walk into a semi-final, stare down India, and trust that on this particular day, their plans, their bowling and their nerve will be enough.
