Bangladesh’s T20I captain has vowed to “give the fans what they deserve very soon.”
The Asia Cup is now behind them, and another series is around the corner. Yet for Liton Kumar Das, the pain still lingers—both from the team’s failure and his own injury. Missing the Asia Cup final left a wound in his heart. On behalf of the team, Liton apologized to the fans and promised to repay their faith as soon as possible.
Bangladesh entered the Asia Cup with the clear goal of becoming champions. After clearing the group stage and reaching the Super Four, the final seemed within touching distance. But despite a strong bowling performance in the semifinal-like clash, their batting collapse ended the dream. Another major tournament ended in heartbreak.
Five days after that exit, Liton shared a heartfelt message with supporters on social media:
“In the 2025 Asia Cup, as a team we gave our very best. Our ultimate goal was to play the final and win it, but unfortunately, we could not achieve that. On behalf of the team, we sincerely apologize to all the passionate fans of Bangladesh.”
One of the key reasons behind Bangladesh’s elimination was Liton’s absence. He missed the back-to-back matches against India and Pakistan in the Super Four due to a side strain, with Zakir Ali stepping in as captain. His absence in leadership, wicketkeeping, and batting was felt deeply in both games.
Injury has also ruled him out of the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. But Liton admits the real pain is emotional—a wound he says will stay with him for a long time.
“Personally, missing the last two matches because of injury felt heartbreaking. For the same reason, I will not be able to play the upcoming Afghanistan series either. I tried my best to recover, but I could not. This pain will burn inside me for a long time.”
Still, the Bangladesh skipper offered hope along with his regret. He assured fans that the team will bounce back soon and bring them the joy they deserve.
“Thank you to each and every one of you for the overwhelming support throughout the tournament. As athletes, we feel truly blessed to have the best fans in the world. I hope we can give you what you deserve very soon.”
Bangladesh’s T20I series against Afghanistan begins Thursday, followed by a three-match ODI series. Whether Liton will recover in time for the ODIs remains uncertain.
