Jaker: Dropped Catch of Abhishek Turned the Match

After a long gap, Bangladesh and India met in the Asia Cup, a clash loaded with political undertones following India’s cancellation of their Bangladesh tour earlier this year. With the neighbors finally facing off in the Super Four, anticipation was high.

Litton Das’ injury handed the captaincy to young Jaker Ali Anik. Sticking to Bangladesh’s familiar plan, he won the toss and chose to field. But chasing 169, Jaker’s side folded for just 127, conceding a 41-run defeat as batting failures sank the Tigers.

The collapse began early. Tanzid Hasan Tamim (1) departed at the start, followed by Towhid Hridoy (7), Shamim Hossain (0), Jaker Ali (4), Saifuddin (4), Rishad Hossain (2), and Tanzim Sakib (0). Five batters couldn’t even reach double figures. The irresponsible batting against India’s spin attack left many questioning whether the downfall was due to mental pressure or tactical weakness.

Speaking after the game, skipper Jaker said,"There’s nothing to panic about. We couldn’t adjust properly in the middle. If you look at our recent performances, we did well in the middle overs. Today we failed with the bat, and that made the difference."

The defining factor was Abhishek Sharma’s explosive knock. He smashed 75 off just 37 balls, setting India’s innings alight. Crucially, on just 7 runs, Abhishek was dropped by Jaker off Tanzim Sakib’s bowling.

Reflecting on the moment, Jaker admitted, "It was a regulation catch. At this level, you have to take those. I gave my best effort, but unfortunately couldn’t hold on. You could say, yes, that dropped catch changed the game."

Abhishek and Shubman Gill’s 77-run stand gave India a strong platform. At the halfway stage, 200 looked inevitable. But Bangladesh clawed back—Abhishek was run out through a combined effort by Rishad and Mustafizur, while Mustafizur also removed Suryakumar Yadav.

Asked about Bangladesh’s plans during the timeout, Jaker explained, "In the powerplay, batters always have the upper hand. We didn’t panic. The plan was to stay normal and bowl with discipline. That’s what allowed us to come back into the match."

Bangladesh’s bowlers did apply late pressure. Tanzim Sakib restricted Abhishek-Gill with clever variations, dismissing Tilak Varma with a smart slower ball. Nasum Ahmed, after conceding 28 in his first two overs, bounced back brilliantly, giving away just 6 in his last two.

Looking ahead, Jaker remained optimistic, "There’s a lot to learn from this game. If we use those lessons, we can do better tomorrow."

The young skipper also revealed that he had been prepared for leadership even before Litton’s injury. "I was informed back home that if such a situation arose, I might have to lead. Maybe it wasn’t public, but I knew about it."

Against India, Bangladesh made three changes from the XI that faced Sri Lanka—Parvez Hossain Emon came in for Litton, while Saifuddin and Tanzim Sakib replaced Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam. Rishad Hossain played ahead of Sheikh Mahedi Hasan.

Explaining the changes, Jaker said, "The changes were made considering both team combination and player rest. Those were the two factors behind the decision."