As a result, defeating Pakistan has become a must for Bangladesh to secure a place in the Asia Cup final. Stand-in captain Jaker Ali expressed his determination to learn from the mistakes made against India and lead the team to victory against Pakistan.
With the defeat against India, the match against Pakistan has effectively become an unofficial semi-final. The winner of that match will face India in the Asia Cup final.
After the match, Jaker said, “It was surprising, but I had prepared myself [Captaincy]. The bowlers deserve full credit; after the first ten overs, they adapted brilliantly. There’s a lot to take from this match, and we have another game tomorrow.”
Bangladesh did not field Sheikh Mahedi in this game, bringing in Rishad Hossain instead. Taskin Ahmed was also on the bench but could play against Pakistan. With Litton Das sidelined due to a side strain, Jaker led the team as captain.
“We must remember that we can still win tomorrow and play in the final. We’ll see which combination we go with, but we’ll give our best.”
