Dubai: Despite a defeat to India, Bangladesh stand-in captain Jaker Ali Anik believes his side is still capable of making the Asia Cup final. Bangladesh will take on Pakistan tomorrow, a game turned out to be an unofficial semi-final. Whoever wins the game will take on India in the final of the regional tournament on September 28. Jaker insisted that the defeat to India is not the end of the world.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Jaker expressed confidence after the game against India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, stating, "We have to keep in mind that we can win tomorrow and play the final." He emphasized taking positives from the 41-run defeat to India. India had a strong start, with Avishek scoring 75 off 37 balls, helping India reach 112 in 11 overs. However, Bangladesh made a remarkable comeback after Avishek's run out, restricting India to just 56 runs in the final nine overs.
Jaker credited his team for their adaptability and preparation, saying, "All the credit goes to the boys, after ten overs they adjusted brilliantly." He highlighted the importance of learning from the match, adding, "We can take lots of things from this game; we have another game tomorrow, what we should win. We believe we can win that and make the final."