Sharma hits 75 as India beat Bangladesh to reach Asia Cup final

India publication their spot successful Sunday’s last of the 2025 Asia Cup with their 41-run Super Fours triumph against Bangladesh.

India person blasted their mode into the last of the 2025 Asia Cup with a crippled to spare astatine the Super Fours signifier with a 41-run triumph against Bangladesh.

Opener Abhishek Sharma’s 75 disconnected 37 balls led the mode successful his side’s full of 168-6 earlier Kuldeep Yadav picked up 3-18.

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Sharma’s innings included 5 sixes arsenic helium reached his 4th T20 half-century successful effect to Bangladesh’s determination to tract archetypal successful Wednesday’s encounter.

After a middle-order wobble by India, Hardik Pandya scored 38 disconnected 29 balls, but the full felt arsenic though it was small much than a par effort connected a dilatory wicket astatine the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Bangladesh were bowled retired for 127 successful reply contempt Saif Hassan’s 4th T20 half-century. He scored 69 disconnected 51 balls, but it wasn’t capable to assistance his broadside to a 2nd Super Fours triumph arsenic they chased a akin people to the 1 that saw them flooded Sri Lanka connected Saturday.

The borderline of triumph could person been overmuch greater, but India’s fielding near overmuch to beryllium desired again with 5 dropped catches, but ascendant displays from Sharma and their spinners were capable to publication a spot successful the final.

It is the 2nd clip India person reached the Asia Cup T20 final, having won the rubric successful 2016 aft beating Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s Tanzim Hasan Sakib is bowled retired by India’s Kuldeep Yadav [Altaf Qadri/AP]

Bangladesh volition instrumentality connected Pakistan astatine the aforesaid venue connected Thursday to find the 2nd finalist. India’s triumph meant Sri Lanka were eliminated.

The Indian openers made a watchful commencement but soon deed apical cogwheel arsenic 21 runs came successful the 4th implicit and Sharma-Gill added 77 disconnected 38 balls for the archetypal wicket.

The powerplay yielded 72-0 and Gill scored 29 disconnected 19 balls with 2 sixes. He fell successful the seventh over, caught by Rishad Hossain astatine agelong off.

Hossain struck again arsenic promoted Shivam Dube was retired for two, caught successful the aforesaid manner, and India were down to 83-2 successful 8.1 overs.

But determination was nary stopping Sharma, who belted sixes astatine volition against the spinners and pacers alike, bringing up a 2nd consecutive half-century disconnected 25 balls.

India crossed 100 conscionable past the halfway signifier arsenic Sharma enactment connected 29 disconnected 18 balls for the 3rd wicket adjacent though skipper Suryakumar Yadav contributed lone 4 runs to the partnership.

Sharma scored 25 disconnected the adjacent 12 balls, but a large infinitesimal came successful the 12th implicit erstwhile Hossain made a bully halt and ran retired the opener, who was stranded midway. Yadav (5) was caught retired 5 balls aboriginal arsenic India mislaid each momentum astatine 114-4.

India’s Shubman Gill plays a changeable during the Asia Cup cricket lucifer astatine Dubai International Cricket Stadium [Altaf Qadri/AP]

Pandya helped drawstring unneurotic a invaluable concern with the lower-middle bid and propulsion India past 150 successful the 18th over. He deed 4 fours and a six, adding 39 disconnected 33 balls with Axar Patel, who scored 10 not out.

Despite wickets successful hand, India managed lone 4 runs successful the past implicit and finished abbreviated of an intended 180 target.

Jasprit Bumrah got India’s bowlers disconnected to a bully commencement erstwhile helium dismissed Tanzid Hassan for one. Saif Hassan and Parvez Emon enactment connected 42 disconnected 30 balls to enactment the pursuit backmost connected track, but things changed arsenic soon arsenic India deployed its spinners arsenic each of them struck successful their archetypal spells.

Kuldeep Yadav sent backmost Emon, caught retired astatine quadrate limb for 21 disconnected 19 balls. Varun Chakravarthy past bowled Shamim Hossain for a three-ball duck. In between, Patel had Towhid Hridoy caught for 7 arsenic Bangladesh slipped to 74-4 successful 10.4 overs.

Any anticipation of a turnaround was quashed arsenic Suryakumar Yadav ran retired his counterpart Jaker Ali successful the 13th over.

Saif Hassan enactment up resistance, though, arsenic helium reached a 2nd consecutive half-century disconnected 36 balls, including 3 fours and six sixes. He enjoyed immoderate luck on the way, dropped by Indian fielders connected 40, 60, 65 and 69.

But helium didn’t get capable enactment from his teammates arsenic the Indian spinners, including part-timer Tilak Varma, shared 7 wickets to assistance their broadside scope the final.