Bangladesh vs. India, Asia Cup Final: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview

After a massive 45-run defeat against India in the opening fixture, Bangladesh will be looking to overturn their fortunes when the two sides meet again in the Asia Cup final.

Date: Sunday, 6 March

Time: 7:30 p.m. local (1:30 p.m. GMT)

Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh

Live Stream and TV Info: Fox Sports (Australia), DD National/Star Sports (India), GEO Super/PTV Sports (Pakistan), TNL TV (Sri Lanka), Star/Channel 9 (Bangladesh), Life OK (UK), Sky Sport (New Zealand), Yupptv.com (Live streaming service available in Europe).

Weather: According to AccuWeather.com, it's going to be hot and sticky with temperatures remaining in the high 20s in the evening. 

Overview

For a team that have shown such a definite upwards curve over the last two years, Bangladesh’s performances in Twenty20s have been disappointing.

They have won just nine out 23 T20s since January 2014, and even with the home-ground advantage in the Asia Cup, they have looked unconvincing. Despite losing just once—that opening fixture against India—they have made relatively easy challenges look far more difficult than they should have.

Not all hope is lost, though. The final offers an opportunity not just for redemption, it’s also an opportunity for both sides to test their nerves under pressure ahead of the World T20.

On paper, India haven't exactly completely outperformed their neighbours. Two Indian players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have accumulated over 100 runs in the four matches compared to just one, Soumya Sarkar, from Bangladesh. When it comes to bowling averages, Bangladesh have kept theirs as low as India and now that the two sides have faced each other, they know what to expect.

In the greater context of things, this fixture means little. The Asia Cup is not a trophy that is as coveted as, say, a World Cup or a Champions Trophy.

However, that does not mean this fixture is not important. For Bangladesh, a win here will set yet another marker in their development. For India, a win is a further statement that they are the team to beat when the World T20 rolls around later this month. For both, this is a chance to offer the fans something to cheer about and an escape from reality.

Key players

Bangladesh

Although his economy rate is on the high side (7.42), Al-Amin Hossain has been one of Bangladesh's most reliable bowlers in this tournament. With 10 wickets at an average of 10.40, the hosts will need something special from him to curb the destructive Indian batsmen.

India

As ever, Rohit Sharma has proved to be Mr. Reliable in this tournament. With 137 runs in four matches, India will look to him to set the foundation to help them launch a good total from. Whether they are batting first or second, Sharma is the man to set the tone.

Squads

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Al-Amin Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny, Abu Hider, Nurul Hasan

India: MS Dhoni (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Harbhajan Singh, Pawan Negi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Parthiv Patel