Asia Cup 2025: Which Group B teams have the strongest chance of progressing to the Super 4 round.
The double-header on September 15 in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 made the equation for Super 4 qualification a lot clearer. In Group A, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earned a victory over Oman by 42 runs in Abu Dhabi during the afternoon fixture. In the evening, Group B’s Sri Lanka brushed past Hong Kong at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium by four wickets.
UAE’s victory meant two factors from Group A for the Super Four qualification. Under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, India became the first team to secure qualification for Super Four. Meanwhile, Oman became the first team to be eliminated from the race. The winner between Pakistan and the UAE on September 17 in Dubai will decide the second qualifying side from Group A.
However, the scenario is interesting for Group B. Hong Kong, due to their three defeats, have been disqualified from the competition. The race will now be between Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Read More: Asia Cup 2025: Do Afghanistan start as second favourites after India?
Sri Lanka’s two strong victories put them in a good spot
Sri Lanka came into the Asia Cup 2025 with good preparation against Zimbabwe during the three away T20Is. In the opening game, they chased down 176 runs by four wickets before getting bundled out for just 80 runs in the second. That was a poor performance from their unit before they improved it in the third encounter.
The Charith Asalanka-led side had a hectic schedule. They had just a week’s break between the third fixture in Harare and their opening clash of the Asia Cup. Against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi, they were put into bat first. Quite interestingly, the champions of the 2022 edition dropped Maheesh Theekshana from the eleven to make room for Matheesha Pathirana.
One of the positives from the clash was the powerplay bowling from Nuwan Thusara and Dushmantha Chameera. It took the Litton Das-led side more than two overs to score their first run, that too, besides losing both openers. Before the tournament, their concern was Wanindu Hasaranga’s fitness and form. But he proved his skills with figures of 2/25 in four overs. Even against Hong Kong, he collected 1/27 in four overs.
Dasun Shanaka and captain Asalanka bowled combined figures of 0/33 in four overs. The biggest and ongoing issue for them will be Pathirana’s form. The death-over specialist bowler for Sri Lanka ended with figures of 0/42 in four overs. Even in IPL 2025, for the Chennai Super Kings, he picked up only 13 wickets in 12 overs at an expensive economy rate of over 10.
In the batting department, Pathum Nissanka continued his superb form. In the last five T20Is, the right-handed opener has already celebrated three half-centuries, two of those coming in this Asia Cup 2025. Against Bangladesh, Kamil Mishra played a sensational knock of undefeated 46 runs in just 32 balls.
Hasaranga’s batting of 20* runs in nine balls for the victory against Hong Kong is another advantage for them. In two encounters, they have topped the points table with a net run-rate of +1.546. Unless they face a massive defeat against Afghanistan in the last group-stage clash, they should be safe to qualify for the Super 4 stage from Group B.
Read More: History of Asia Cup in T20 format: Top batters, bowlers & other numbers
Afghanistan’s recent success gives entertainment
Whenever there is a big obstacle or challenge to achieve, Afghanistan always rise to the occasion. In the previous T20I tri-series as preparation for the Asia Cup, the Rashid Khan-led side lost the final against Pakistan in Sharjah. Apart from their opening defeat, they displayed clinical performance throughout the competition.
Afghanistan restricted the Salman Ali Agha-led side to just 141/8 in their allotted 20 overs. But a poor batting show of 66 runs pushed them to a 75-run loss.
The same issue again continued in the opening clash of the Asia Cup 2025 against Hong Kong. They lost two wickets inside four overs and soon were restricted to 95/4 in 13 overs. Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai celebrated an 82-run stand for the fifth wicket. The latter creamed a fine knock of 53 runs in 21 balls, shouldering two boundaries and five sixes.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s form could be a slight concern for the management. The right-handed batter hasn’t scored a fifty in the six T20I innings and has had single-digit scores in four of them. In the bowling department, their left-arm pacer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, picked up seven wickets in the last four innings.
There is no question about Rashid’s skill. Moreover, on these slow surfaces, he has full support from Noor Ahmed and Allah Ghazanfar. Mohammed Nabi didn’t bowl against Hong Kong, but he can also bowl four overs if a premier bowler goes for runs.
With the 94-run victory, they are currently at the second rank in the points table. The strong net run rate of +4.70 is already an advantage for them. A victory against Bangladesh in the second encounter of the Asia Cup 2025 will earn their Super Four tickets. However, a potential defeat would still keep them in the race before their last group-stage game against Sri Lanka on September 18 in Abu Dhabi.
Read More: Asia Cup 2025: Gap between India batters & other teams too large – A numerical analysis
