Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka played down talk of a cricketing rivalry with Bangladesh ahead of their Group B opener in the Asia Cup T20, scheduled for Saturday.

Considering recent form and squad depth, many see Afghanistan as favourites to progress into the Super Fours -- some even hail them as Asia’s second-best team at present. Tanzim, however, is not buying into that:

His recent scores in T20Is -- 35 off 36, 9 off 14, and 36 off 37 -- reflect the struggle to match the tempo the format demands. Once considered one of Bangladesh’s most promising T20 batters, his place in the team is now under scrutiny.

The match in Dubai is the first time that the neighbours will have met in cricket since a brief but deadly border conflict in May and emotions will be running high.

On paper, the Asia Cup match between Pakistan and Oman in Dubai today might seem like a mismatch, but it will offer both sides different points to prove -- Oman looking to mark their first-ever appearance in the continental event with a memorable outing, while Pakistan aim to continue their good run of form before facing archrivals India in their next Group A fixture.

"Nagin, Nagin!" shouted some fans at Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga from the gallery of the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The leg-spin bowling all-rounder didn't notice the chants at first, when he did, he responded with a faint smile.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das was glad to begin the team’s campaign in the Asia Cup with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in their Group B match in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Wherever Bangladesh play, the roar of their fans follow. In Mirpur, a sea of red and green waves in unison, and across the globe -- be it Melbourne or Dubai -- small pockets of Bangladesh fans keep that same spirit alive.

T20I skipper Litton Das became the second-highest run-getter in T20Is for Bangladesh during the Tigers’ first Asia Cup game, against Hong Kong, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi today. 

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain became the sixth Bangladeshi bowler to get 50 wickets in T20Is during the Tigers’ first match in the Asia Cup, against Hong Kong, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.   

Skipper Litton Das notched up his 15th T20I half-century to guide the Tigers to a convincing seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. 

During Bangladesh’s two practice sessions in Abu Dhabi ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 opener against Hong Kong today, the focus was noticeably on big-hitting. That’s hardly unusual ahead of a T20 tournament.

Wasim Akram, who coached Kuldeep during his early days with Kolkata Knight Riders, said his hunger set him apart.

Bangladesh are set to begin their Asia Cup campaign against Associate Nation Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi today. The Litton Das-led side enter the continental tournament on the back of a decent run of form, but even during Tuesday’s practice session, some familiar issues resurfaced.

Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Das has dismissed any talk of past scars ahead of their Asia Cup T20 opener against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, insisting his side are fully focused on starting their campaign with a win.

Kuldeep Yadav returned figures of 4-7 to lead holders India to a crushing nine-wicket win over hosts United Arab Emirates in their opening match of the Asia Cup on Wednesday.

Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott demanded improvement from his team after an unsteady batting performance in Tuesday's Asia Cup victory against minnows Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.

As the Bangladesh national team continue their preparations in Abu Dhabi, discussions around the final playing XI are gaining momentum -- particularly concerning the place of Tawhid Hridoy in the middle order. The atmosphere in the training ground at Oval 1 was intense but measured, with the late-evening desert heat offering some respite as the players engaged in skill sessions under the floodlights.

As the Asia Cup 2025 begins, the hope is that the on-field battles overshadow off-field concerns, delivering a tournament rich with exciting cricket while overcoming visible fatigue and political tension.

The match will start at 8.30pm Bangladesh Time.