Bangladesh batter Sharmin Akhter Supta believes her team must have the confidence to defeat India if they are serious about winning the Asia Cup, as the two sides prepare to meet in the semi-final at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday, September 10.
Bangladesh secured their place in the last four after overcoming the United Arab Emirates by 34 runs. They will now face India in a high-profile Asian rivalry with a place in the final at stake.
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Sharmin said Bangladesh cannot afford to think about becoming champions without first believing they can overcome India.
“If we don’t even believe that we can beat India, then we shouldn’t even dream of becoming Asia Cup champions,” Sharmin told Cricbuzz. “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.”
The right-handed batter acknowledged India’s stature in Asian cricket but said facing a strong opponent could provide additional motivation for the Bangladesh squad.
“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. I feel that this positive energy motivates the entire squad,” she said.
Sharmin also stressed that the knockout stage requires Bangladesh to focus on execution rather than India’s reputation.
“In a knockout game, you have to treat whichever opponent you face as a tough team. The main focus right now is to go out there and enjoy the game,” she said. “You have to play with enjoyment, aim to minimize mistakes on that given day, and play strictly to win.”
Bangladesh Draw Inspiration From 2018 Triumph
Bangladesh will take confidence from their memorable 2018 Asia Cup campaign, when they defeated India twice — first in the group stage and again in the final in Malaysia — to lift the trophy.
Since that final, however, the two teams have met 13 times in T20I cricket, with Bangladesh winning just once while India have recorded 12 victories.
Sharmin believes the 2018 success remains proof that Bangladesh can overcome India on the biggest stage.
“Back in the 2018 Asia Cup, 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,” she said.
She added that Bangladesh’s bowling remains their biggest strength, while India’s batting is their primary weapon.
“Nothing is impossible. Yes, they are a formidable team whose primary strength lies in their batting, whereas our primary strength is our bowling,” Sharmin said.
She believes Bangladesh will have a genuine chance if their bowlers can deliver and the batting unit improves its performance.
“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,” she added.
Sharmin also said she is not allowing the stature of India’s players to affect her preparation, insisting that execution on the day will be decisive.
“When I step onto the field, I don’t overthink who the bowler is or how big the opposition is,” she said. “On any given day, even the best bowler can have an off day, and an unexpected bowler can deliver an outstanding spell.”
Nahida Calls for Improved Batting Against India
Meanwhile, Bangladesh all-rounder Nahida Akter admitted that the team’s batting performance against the UAE was below their expectations but backed the batters to bounce back against India.
Bangladesh were restricted to 103 for seven against the UAE before Sharmin and Nahida steadied the innings with a crucial 42-run partnership. Sharmin top-scored with 38 off 31 balls, including three fours, while Nahida remained unbeaten on 16 off 26 balls.
Despite the modest total, Bangladesh went on to secure a 34-run victory, with their bowling attack once again proving decisive.
Nahida said the slow nature of the pitch made stroke-making difficult and felt that a total of around 120-130 would have been ideal.
“Given the behaviour of the pitch, 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,” Nahida told Cricbuzz.
However, she remains confident in Bangladesh’s batting ability.
“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.
With India standing between Bangladesh and a place in the Asia Cup final, the Bangladesh camp will look to combine their strong bowling attack with a more effective batting display when the two teams meet in Dubai.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
