Bangladesh batter Sobhana Mostary has looked back at one of the most important moments in the history of women’s cricket in her country. When speaking about Bangladesh Women’s Asia Cup 2026 campaign in Dubai, Mostary recalled the team’s famous victory over India in the 2018 Asia Cup final and explained how that result changed the way women’s cricket was viewed in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh defeated India in the final in Kuala Lumpur to win their first-ever Asia Cup title. According to Mostary, the victory became a major turning point for the sport, bringing greater attention, investment and support to the women’s team.
Sobhana Mostary Recalls Historic Win Over India
As detailed by Sobhana Mostary, India win hopes were shattered in the 2018 Asia Cup final, when Bangladesh produced one of the greatest results in their women’s cricket history. This victory over India gave Bangladesh their maiden continental title and created a major boost for the women’s game.
Mostary believes the result had an impact far beyond the cricket field. She explained that after Bangladesh defeated India and lifted the Asia Cup, there was a major change in the facilities and financial support provided to women’s cricket.
The increased attention helped improve several areas of the game. Central contracts, domestic cricket and training facilities received greater focus, giving more players an opportunity to develop their skills and pursue cricket professionally.
India Remains the Biggest Challenge
Mostary believes India continues to be one of the strongest teams in Asian women’s cricket. Speaking about Bangladesh’s ambitions for the 2026 tournament, she made it clear that beating India would be a major step towards winning another Asia Cup title.
The Bangladesh batter feels that an India victory could provide her team with the confidence needed to go all the way in the tournament. Her comments show how highly Bangladesh rate India, while also highlighting the belief within the squad that they can compete with the continent’s strongest teams.
For Bangladesh, the potential meeting with India could therefore become one of the most important games of their campaign.
Harmanpreet Kaur Inspired Mostary
Interestingly, Mostary’s admiration for India extends beyond the rivalry. During her Sobhana Mostary interview, she revealed that India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was one of her biggest childhood inspirations.
Mostary specifically remembered Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 Women’s World Cup semi-final. That remarkable innings influenced how Mostary viewed batting and taught her the importance of controlling an innings during high-pressure matches.
Despite being rivals on the field, Mostary has tremendous respect for Harmanpreet’s career and ability.
Deepti Sharma Gets Mostary’s Respect
When discussing India’s bowling attack, Mostary singled out Deepti Sharma. The Bangladesh batter praised Deepti’s consistency and ability to change her bowling according to different situations.
Deepti’s variations and experience make her one of India’s most difficult bowlers to face. Mostary’s comments underline the level of respect Bangladesh’s batters have for India’s experienced players.
India – Bangladesh Matches Always Special
Mostary also spoke about the atmosphere surrounding India – Bangladesh matches. She said Bangladeshi fans are extremely passionate and that large numbers of supporters turn up whenever the two teams meet.
For Mostary, playing India is not something to fear. Instead, she sees it as an exciting challenge and an opportunity to perform on a big stage.
Bangladesh have already started their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 campaign strongly, defeating Indonesia by 71 runs after scoring 129 for eight and bowling their opponents out for 58. With the team targeting another deep tournament run, the memories of the 2018 triumph over India continue to provide inspiration.
For Bangladesh women’s cricket, that historic win over India remains much more than a result. It represents the moment when the sport began receiving greater recognition and support, and it continues to inspire the next generation of players.
