Bangladesh ‘A’ captain Akbar Ali has opened up about his team’s performance in the Super Over against Pakistan ‘A’ in the Rising Stars Asia Cup final in Qatar. Returning home, Akbar told the press that no team is truly accustomed to the pressure of a Super Over, and even small mistakes can decide the outcome.
In the final, Bangladesh ‘A’ managed only 6 runs in the Super Over. Habibur Rahman scored 1 run on the first ball. On the second, Abdul Ghaffar gave a return catch to Pakistani pacer Ahmed Danial. The next ball was a wide for 5 runs. On the legal third delivery, Zishan Alam was bowled by Danial. If the remaining three balls had been played, Bangladesh could have easily scored over 10 runs.
Akbar commented, “No team is used to Super Overs. You have to play high-risk shots; sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. We tried our best, but mistakes cost us the final.”
He also reflected on the semi-final, where a Super Over against India ‘A’ went wrong due to his own misjudgment. On the last ball, India ‘A’ needed 4 runs. Harsh Dubey tried to hit a boundary, but Zishan caught it. Akbar attempted a throw to the stumps, but with no fielder nearby, India tied the match.
Akbar added, “I don’t know exactly why I did what I did. Even U-12 players wouldn’t make such a mistake. But these experiences teach valuable lessons for future matches.”
Despite the defeat, he emphasised that the team played well overall and that this experience would prepare them better for high-pressure scenarios in the future.