'...all we were looking for was a leg spinner and Rishad has done very well'
Sunday's team announcement followed reports that the Bangladesh Cricket Board is seeking to move their World Cup matches out of India.
Bangladesh spinners wreaked havoc with the ball as they picked up all 10 wickets to help the hosts rout West Indies by 179 runs in the third and final ODI in Dhaka on Thursday.
The islanders, led by Charith Asalanka, have quietly built a formidable unit combining top-order solidity with middle-order power and a spin attack tailor-made for UAE conditions.
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The India vs Bangladesh rivalry has gotten bitter in recent years, thanks to the partisan young fans, many of whom perceive India as an adversary.
Bangladesh pipped Afghanistan by eight runs in a group league match to keep their hopes of reaching the Asia Cup Super Fours alive, in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Abhishek Sharma's scintillating 75 was beautifully complemented by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as India comfortably hammered Bangladesh by 41 runs to enter the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Wednesday.
Having lost against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh face a must-win against Afghanistan to keep their Super 4s hopes alive.
Sunday's final can be called the ultimate stress-test day for every cricket fan's heartbeat.
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Images from the Group D T20 World Cup fixture between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Dallas on Friday.
Abhishek Sharma reached 931 ratings point, which is 12 more than the previous best rating of 919 attained by England's Dawid Malan in 2020.
Skipper Litton Das led from the front as Bangladesh registered a comfortable seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Despite restricting Bangladesh to a modest 154 for 5, Afghanistan did not bat well enough to go over the line.
A fine half-century by Jaker Ali guided Bangladesh to their maiden T20 series victory over Pakistan in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Bangladesh will see this as an opportunity to start on a strong note and settle into the tournament.
In all the three group matches, Sri Lanka thrived while chasing and one would expect the Islanders to continue the same trend if they win the toss on Saturday.
'Tom Curran went to the airport, but heard that the airport was closed.' 'Then he started crying like a little child. It took two or three people to handle him.'
India will be keen to get the job done against Bangladesh and seal their place in Sunday's final before considering resting their players.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of Asia Cup 2025.
Henry struggled to make an early impact but got a wicket at the death, dismissing Bangladesh's Rishad Hossain in the 44th over to reach the landmark.
Twice in two games, cricketing upstarts USA stunned Bangladesh again
Bangladesh will be without premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for the ICC Champions Trophy after the veteran was excluded after getting suspended from bowling in all competitions.
In a thrilling moment that will be remembered for a long time, the all-rounder's incredible athleticism was on display as he sprinted 25 metres from deep midwicket to dismiss Rishad Hossain.
Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Batting Rankings after his stellar efforts helped England secure a 22-run victory over India at Lord's, according to the official website of the ICC.
Virat Kohli's recurring dismissals due to an open-faced bat is a matter of concern as India aim to regain the Champions Trophy after 12 years, believes legendary Sunil Gavaskar.
Indian captain Virat Kohli arrived two hours early for practice ahead of the crucial Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan, focusing on his struggles against spin bowling.
Hardik Pandya absolutely lit up the T20I match on Sunday with his incredible batting performance against Bangladesh.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy Group A match played between India and Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in Dubai on Thursday.
Najmul Hossain Shanto said his side was confident of winning the match against South Africa
Shakib Al Hasan made his comeback to T20 international cricket after a gap of nearly a year this month in the home series against Zimbabwe.
A confident New Zealand side will be eager to seal a semi-final spot when they take on Bangladesh, who will be fighting for survival, in their Champions Trophy Group A match in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Pakistan and Bangladesh will face off in a dead rubber match in the Champions Trophy on Thursday, both teams looking to salvage some pride after disappointing tournament performances. Both teams have suffered heavy defeats to New Zealand.
The result meant that defending champions Pakistan joined Bangladesh in being knocked out of the tournament after losing their opening two matches against New Zealand and India.
Bangladesh middle-order batter Towhid Hridoy is expecting the pitch to play slow in the T20 series opener against India as both teams enter unknown territory with the Shrimant Madhavrao Stadium hosting its first international match on Sunday.
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