3 Reasons Why Bangladesh Could Win The Asia Cup

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will commence on 15^th September, and it would be held in the UAE this time around. Despite the presence of heavyweights such as India and Pakistan, the Bangladeshi team could surely pose a formidable challenge for the title.

They are placed in Group B along with Srilanka, but Mashrafe Mortaza’s men could surely fancy themselves lifting the trophy on the 28^th of September. As a result, there is a great chance for Bangladesh to win the Asia Cup – and here are three reasons why…

#3 An Experienced Core:

Bangladesh's current squad boasts experience in abundance, and it would help them in a tournament like Asia Cup where the stakes would be quite high. The core of their squad is well-settled, as players like Mortaza, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahamadullah and Tamim Iqbal gel well with each other.

They have been playing together for long, and hence the chemistry in the team is good as each player has a well-defined role to follow. Iqbal and Rahim will be the pillars in the batting order, and the team would rely on them to deliver consistently throughout the course of the tournament.

Moreover, the team has an inspirational leader like Mortaza, who always backs his players and motivates them to provide their best efforts on the field. Mortaza is a wily captain, who makes brave decisions and isn’t scared of taking risks.

His presence means that the team would be on the right direction on the field, as he could guide the pacers during the tense moments of the game. Compared to their opponents, Bangladesh's setup is relatively more experienced and cohesive currently.

Unlike teams like India and Srilanka, Bangladesh’s team management would not be worried about the selection of players in their playing XI. This is because of the core of the team, which they have finalized and settled quite well. During such important tournaments, there is very less room for experimentation and hence the Bangla Tigers surely have an edge over their opponents regarding this.
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Depth in the bowling department

Firstly, it is notable that Bangladesh’s captain and vice-captain are primarily bowling all-rounders. Mortaza and Shakib would be banked on to notch wickets, as well as provide guidance to other bowlers. However, the team boasts of an exciting, varied bunch of bowlers, with each one of them offering something unique on the field.

Mortaza’s clever off-cutters trouble the opposition batsmen during the death overs, and Shakib’s overall game adds stability to the playing XI. Mustafizur Rahman is steadily regaining his old form, albeit a bit uneconomically.

However, Rahman’s variations would be difficult to decipher for the opposition batsmen, and hence the 22-year-old could fare well in the final stages of the innings.

His left-armed deliveries often carry an element of surprise, and batsmen such as Rohit Sharma have previously struggled whilst dealing with Rahman’s bowling.

Moreover, Abu Haider Rony is a left armed pacer too, who could take advantage if green tracks are prepared during the series. Additionally, Rubel Hossain’s ability to hit the deck hard has earned him a distinction in the limited overs.
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Desperation:

The Bangladeshi cricket team has been on an upsurge over the past few years, having made steady strides towards success in the limited overs’ format. In fact, they reached the finals of the Asia Cup on two occasions over the past three editions.

However, they have been unable to cross the finishing line and were defeated by Pakistan and India in 2012 and 2016 respectively. Mortaza instills a siege mentality in his team, something that helps them defy the odds on a consistent basis.

Bangladesh has performed well in ODI tournaments over the past few years. They reached the quarterfinals in the 2015 ICC World Cup, and were defeated in the semis of the 2017 Champions Trophy.

However, this time around, they would be keen to win the tournament, in order to claim their first major trophy. The team has a good blend of experience and youth, and leaders such as Mortaza and Shakib could be expected to provide the correct pathway in crucial moments of certain games.

Moreover, they tend to perform best whenever they are treated as underdogs. With the presence of India and Pakistan, chances of Bangladesh winning the title are relatively lower.

However, they could well capitalize on this situation and turn the odds in their favor with some good performances. Such knockout tournaments are won on the basis of probability, and especially ODI matches’ outcomes are decided on certain integral moments during the course of the matches.

If Bangladesh manage to keep hold of their nerves, they have a good chance of proceeding towards their first notable major trophy. With an experienced group of leaders and an exciting bunch of young lads ready to don the national jersey in the UAE, some fireworks could be expected from the Mortaza's men.