Spinner Sheikh Mahedi Hasan has stated that the team is not intimidated by the opposition or the situation as Bangladesh prepares for a crucial match against India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four round.
After a training session, Mahedi spoke to the media, insisting that Bangladesh is playing the game like any other and avoiding the excitement that usually accompanies a match versus India.
"Not after winning a match. From the start, we stay normal. The way we are, the way our body language is — we aren't overthinking," Mahedi said.
"We're just going out there to play a cricket match. Whether the opponent is India or Australia, that's not our concern."
Bangladesh kicked off their Super Four campaign in style with a commanding four-wicket victory over defending champions Sri Lanka, snapping their eight-match winning streak in T20 Asia Cups. Up next, they face Suryakumar Yadav’s India, a side that appears dominant on paper and has cruised through the tournament with ease.
India have a superior head-to-head record in T20Is. India have won 16 of the 17 games between the two teams, including all of their meetings in multi-nation competitions. Bangladesh's only T20I victory over India occurred during a bilateral series in 2019.
Despite the one-sided statistics, Mahedi insists that past results hold no relevance in the current context.
"It depends on the match situation. Everything comes down to the match situation," he said, implying that belief is only measurable under immediate circumstances.
With players like Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav, India have depth in both bowling and batting. They are the obvious favorites on paper because of their formidable bench strength and winning track record. But Bangladesh's strong spin attack and Dubai's sluggish wickets might level the playing field.
Mahedi and Nasum Ahmed, a left-arm spinner, combine to create a spin combination that can take advantage of India's sporadic weakness against quality spin on turning wickets.
Mahedi called for composure and clarity in the camp as social media was ablaze with supporters concocting the story of a David vs Goliath match.
"We're not thinking about that. That's created by you (the media) or by the fans," he said. "We'll just play the way we've been playing every international match — normally."
Both teams are aware of the significance of this match as the Super Four stage heats up. An upset by Bangladesh would blow the group wide open and solidify their rising status as Asian cricket's giant-slayers, while a victory for India would put them in pole position for the final.
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