Photo: Collected

DHAKA, Sept 26, 2025 (BSS)- Bangladesh Head Coach Phil Simmons believes that the absence of regular skipper Liton Das in the 'do or die' Asia Cup clash against Pakistan hurt their chance badly.

Bangladesh eventually lost the game by 11 runs, despite restricting Pakistan to a meager 135-8. The defeat ruined their chance to seal the final.
 
Liton sustained an injury during practice and ruled out of the game against India and Pakistan. He carried his good form in the Asia Cup making 273 runs altogether in the last five innings with two half-centuries.

"Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us. When someone of his class is suddenly unavailable, the situation gets tough," Simmons said after Bangladesh's match against Pakistan in Dubai.

Chasing a target of 136 to victory, Bangladesh batters also dug their own graveyards by playing injudicious shots, a thing that Simmons didn't deny. 

"We didn't have to chase it in any (particular number of) overs. We just had to win the game," said Simmons. "It was just a bad decision. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn't make the best shot selections.

Bangladesh also didn't chase down 169 against India either. But before the India game, they beat Sri Lanka by five wickets, chasing 169 runs with ease. 

Simmons pointed out the game against Lankans, saying that they are not that bad team that was projected after consecutive defeats to India and Pakistan. 

"We just chased 169 vs Sri Lanka two games ago. We are not a team that can lose Tanzid Hasan and captain Liton in one game and just fill the void like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet," he said.

While Bangladesh's bowling was top notch as usual, apart from batting, the thing that let them down was their shoddy fielding. They had put down at least three catches, something what made Simmons feel that gave Pakistan a breathing space.
 
They dropped Shaheen Shah Afridi twice, giving him an opportunity to make 13 ball-19 with two sixes while also reprieved Mohammad Nawaz when he was on 0. Nawaz went on to hit 15 ball-25 with two sixes and a four.

"When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that's where the game changed," he said, adding that those drops proved to be costly as it tilted the game toward Pakistan.

"Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe had something to do with the lights but I don't think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights," Phil Simmons added.