Champions Trophy: Jaker Ali Reflects On His Record-Breaking Stand Against India

February 21, 2025: In a stunning display of resilience, Bangladesh's Jaker Ali played a crucial knock of 68 off 114 deliveries, guiding his team to a respectable total of 228 after a challenging early collapse against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. His innings, which included four boundaries, helped stabilize the innings alongside Towhid Hridoy. Together, they forged a historic partnership of 154 runs for the sixth wicket, the highest-ever stand for the sixth wicket or lower in Champions Trophy history.

The duo's remarkable effort came at a time when Bangladesh was reeling at 35/5, struggling to recover from the early blows. Reflecting on the difficult start, Jaker admitted that it was a tough task to rebuild the innings after such a collapse. "It was difficult in the beginning as we lost five wickets early. Towhid and I tried to get a good score, but we couldn't finish well. If we had managed to push for a bigger total, the game would have been much closer," Jaker said after the match.

Despite the setbacks, Jaker’s approach was one of aggression and intent. "My plan was to accelerate, but unfortunately, I got out. I had the intent," he explained, showing no regrets about his efforts. His mindset was to take the game deeper, ensuring that Bangladesh could stretch the contest as much as possible.

The wicket in Dubai proved to be challenging for the batters, with the pitch offering assistance to the spinners throughout the innings. Jaker acknowledged the difficulty in navigating the conditions: "The wicket was a bit tricky, it was not that easy to bat on. There was some turn throughout the innings. We wanted to adjust according to the wicket and play."

Despite Bangladesh falling short against India, Jaker and Towhid’s record-breaking partnership was a bright spot for the team. Looking ahead, Jaker expressed confidence in the team’s top-order batters, especially as they prepare to take on Pakistan in their upcoming matches. "We are hopeful with those wickets. Hopefully, our top-order batters score runs there. If the openers score, the job becomes easier. There are good wickets, as we saw in the last match between Pakistan and New Zealand. If we get a good wicket, we are hopeful for our team," Jaker concluded.

While their defeat to India was a tough blow, Bangladesh’s fighting spirit, exemplified by Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy’s historic stand, gives the team a strong foundation to build on in the remainder of the tournament.