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Bangladesh spinner lands first punch on Suryakumar Yadav's team: ‘Whether it's India or Australia, is not our concern’
Sheikh Mahedi Hasan emphasised Bangladesh's calm approach ahead of their Asia Cup match against India, dismissing past records.
As Bangladesh gear up for a high-stakes clash against India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four stage, spinner Sheikh Mahedi Hasan has made it clear that the team is not overawed by the opposition or the occasion.
Speaking to reporters informally after a training session, Mahedi insisted that Bangladesh are approaching the game like any other, refusing to be drawn into the hype that often surrounds a match against 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 made a strong start to their Super Four campaign with a convincing four-wicket win over defending champions Sri Lanka, ending their eight-match winning streak in T20 Asia Cups. They now face an India side led by Suryakumar Yadav, who look dominant on paper and have cruised through the tournament so far.
History Favors India, But Bangladesh Bring the Spin Threat
The head-to-head record in T20Is overwhelmingly favors India. Out of 17 meetings between the two sides, India have won 16, including all encounters in multi-nation tournaments. Bangladesh’s only T20I win over India came in 2019 during a bilateral series.
Despite the lopsided numbers, Mahedi believes past results are irrelevant to the present context.
"It depends on the match situation. Everything comes down to the match situation," he said, suggesting that belief can only be measured in real-time conditions.
India, with stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya, boast depth in both batting and pace bowling. Their strong bench strength and match-winning experience make them clear favorites on paper. However, the slow pitches in Dubai and Bangladesh’s potent spin attack could level the playing field.
Mahedi, along with left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, form a spin duo capable of exploiting India's occasional vulnerability against quality spin on turning tracks.
Blocking Out the Noise
With social media abuzz and fans building up the narrative of a David vs Goliath contest, Mahedi urged calm and clarity within the camp.
"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."
As the Super Four stage heats up, both teams know the importance of this fixture. A win for India would put them in pole position for the final, while another upset by Bangladesh would throw the group wide open and reinforce their growing reputation as giant-slayers in Asian cricket.
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