Dubai: Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons believes his side has the capability to beat India on any kind of surface if they play to their full potential. Simmons’ comment came a day before the high-stakes clash against India in an Asia Cup Super Fours contest.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a victory in the match will keep Bangladesh ahead in the race for the Asia Cup final, a target they set before arriving in the United Arab Emirates. “Every team has the ability to beat India. The game is played on the day. It’s not about what India have done before. It’s about what happens on Wednesday,” Simmons told reporters in Dubai during a pre-match conference.
India has not faced any ICC full member nation apart from Pakistan in their last four matches, winning all, including two encounters against Pakistan with ease. Bangladesh will be the first full ICC nation they meet tomorrow, setting the stage for a spicy contest, given the recent rivalry as the Tigers have often given India a tough time on the field.
Even though in the T20 format, Bangladesh has won just one out of 17 meetings against India, they have had the upper hand over India in the ODI format recently. In the last ODI Asia Cup in 2023, Bangladesh defeated India with relative ease. “It’s what happens during that three-and-a-half-hour period, and we will try to play as best as we can and hope to force mistakes in India’s armory. That’s the way we win games,” Simmons said, recalling the ODI victory against India.
Simmons emphasized that his team holds the belief to make things tougher for India and secure a win. “There has to be belief. Having sat down today and spoken about things, there’s a lot of belief that we have that chance,” Simmons stated. “If we get a break in the game, we have to hold on to it and take the chances, and we will have an opportunity to win a game against India.”