The Equation for Bangladesh to Reach the Super Four

Bangladesh kept their Asia Cup hopes alive with a thrilling 8-run win over Afghanistan. However, their dream of reaching the Super Four is no longer entirely in their own hands—they now have to wait and watch Sri Lanka’s performance.

On Wednesday (18 September), Afghanistan will face Sri Lanka in the final Group B clash. If Sri Lanka win, Bangladesh will qualify as runners-up without any net run rate complications. But if the Lankans lose, the equation will come down to net run rate.

In that scenario, all three teams—Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan—will be level on 4 points. The two teams with the better net run rate will advance to the next round. For Afghanistan to overtake Sri Lanka, they must beat them by a margin of around 70 runs or with nearly 50 balls to spare. Such a result would push Sri Lanka’s net run rate below Bangladesh’s, allowing Bangladesh and Afghanistan to move into the Super Four.

However, if Sri Lanka lose but manage to keep the defeat margin small, Bangladesh’s Asia Cup journey will end there. In short, the Tigers’ hopes now rest heavily on the outcome of Sri Lanka’s final group match.