Bangladesh earned their place in the Asia Cup semifinal after defeating UAE by 34 runs in their final group-stage match. now face India on September 10, 2026, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in what promises to be a high-stakes knockout encounter.
Team India enters the semifinal unbeaten, having won all three group matches to finish at the top of Group A. Bangladesh finished second in Group B with two wins from three matches.
"If we don't even believe that we can beat India, then we shouldn't even dream of becoming Asia Cup champions. I firmly believe that to win the Asia Cup, you inevitably have to face India at some stage, whether in the semifinal or the final. You must have that self-belief," Akhter was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Bangladesh's 2018 Asia Cup precedent
The Bangladesh batter drew on historical precedent to reinforce her point about the importance of confidence against India. Bangladesh won the , and that triumph required victories against India at different stages of the tournament."Even back in the 2018 Asia Cup when we became champions, we had to beat India in the group stage, and then we defeated them again in the final to claim the trophy," Akhter added.Akhter acknowledged India's status as a formidable opponent while emphasising that the outcome depends on Bangladesh's execution on the day. She highlighted the contrasting strengths of the two teams and outlined what Bangladesh would need to do to succeed in the semifinal.
"The same principle applies to us now: nothing is impossible. Yes, they are a formidable team whose primary strength lies in their batting, whereas our primary strength is our bowling.If we can back up our bowling with an improved batting performance and play well on that particular day, I genuinely believe we can beat India," Akhter concluded.
