Aakash Chopra picks Bangladesh’s playing XI for Asia Cup 2025

Aakash Chopra, a former player for India, has selected Bangladesh's likely starting lineup for the Asia Cup in 2025. Prior to the event, he identified the Bangla Tigers' seam-bowling department as their greatest asset.

The UAE will host the 2025 Asia Cup starting on September 9. On September 11, Bangladesh will play Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi to begin their Group B commitments.

In a video posted to his "Aakash Chopra" YouTube account, the former India opener selected two spinners and three seamers for Bangladesh's likely first-choice XI.

"The probable XI for them could be Parvez Hossain with Tanzid Hasan as openers, Litton Das at No. 3, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, and Mustafizur Rahman. I feel they could go with this XI.

Their fast bowling. Believe it or not, in this Bangladesh unit, you say fast bowling has the might. There used to be an era when you used to say that spinners would fall if you shook a tree hard in Dhaka or Mirpur, especially left-arm spinners. Now the focus is on fast bowlers," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Taskin Ahmed has performed marginally worse thus far, although Aakash Chopra said that he thinks highly of the right-arm pacer. He noted Mustafizur Rahman's versatility but also noted Tanzim Hasan Shakib's ability to perform admirably.

"Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Shakib can bowl incredibly well with the new ball. After that, they have Mustafizur Rahman, who can bowl with both the new and old ball. So you have got a very decent and, more importantly, a very experienced fast bowling attack. So fast bowling is their biggest strength," he added.

Aakash Chopra chose the variety in the spin department as another strength for Bangladesh heading into the 2025 Asia Cup.

"They have variety in spin. I will talk only about variety as a strength because I might talk about inexperience as a weakness. They don't have Shakib Al Hasan, but Mahedi Hasan is there. So, you will get an off-spinner. You will get a leg-spinner in Rishad Hossain, and they have Nasum Ahmed as a left-arm spinner. I would say bowling, in all, can be seen as a bit of a strength," he said.

"Recent form is outstanding. They have been actually playing really good cricket. They have played well in 2025, winning matches and series, both at home and away. When you see the recent form, it seems like things are very good. So that will definitely be considered as one of their strengths," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra identified three Bangladeshi players to keep an eye on during the 2025 Asia Cup: Jaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan Shakib, and Shamim Hossain.

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