On Wednesday, September 24, India thrumped Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium by 41 runs to qualify to the final of the Asia Cup 2025. This victory continued their streak of no defeat and they went on to win the tournament by five consecutive convincing victories.
Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy were too much to the Bangladesh batters in the bowling department, and Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya made important breakthroughs. Although it was the outcome, there were highs and lows in the performance of India. In this regard, the following is a preview of one of the best performers and two of the players who did not play any significant role during the Super Four match against Bangladesh.
3. Flop – Shivam Dube
Promoted to No. 3 to counter Bangladesh’s spinners, Shivam Dube once again failed to make an impact. The left-hander went for an attacking option against Rishad Hossain but ended up mistiming his shot and was caught in the deep. His struggles against spin have been visible for some time now, and this outing only added to the concerns.
Apart from his batting failure, Dube’s overall day wasn’t great either. He bowled a death over that leaked 10 runs and also put down a catch in the deep, adding to India’s frustration. Given his form, persisting with him ahead of the likes of Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, or even keeping Suryakumar in his natural slot doesn’t look like the best tactical move.
2. Star – Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma’s purple patch in the Asia Cup 2025 continued as he produced another sparkling knock at the top. Despite a slightly tricky surface, the southpaw adapted quickly, taking a few deliveries to settle in before unleashing his trademark range of strokes. He dominated the bowlers with six fours and five sixes, racing to a 75-run knock that set up India’s innings beautifully.
He was unluckily thrown out in his career, which might otherwise have been a century at the tournament. Nevertheless, his contribution was so high that he deserved the title of the Player of the Match. Abhishek Sharma has now established himself as a reliable T20 opener in India and that he is able to perform on the big stage.
1. Flop – Suryakumar Yadav
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s struggles in T20Is continued with another disappointing outing. He spent time at the crease without finding rhythm and eventually nicked one down the leg side to wicketkeeper Jaker Ali. For a player known for his fluency and 360-degree stroke play, these hesitant innings are beginning to stand out.
The captain’s lean patch has stretched across multiple games, raising concerns with the 2026 T20 World Cup on the horizon. That said, his class and experience are undeniable. India will be banking on him to bounce back quickly, and there’s every chance he can rediscover his touch in the business end of the Asia Cup.
