Pakistan held their nerve to defeat Bangladesh by 11 runs in a tense Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash on Thursday, setting up a highly anticipated final against India on Sunday.
Defending a modest total of 135/8, Pakistan bowled out Bangladesh for 124, with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf leading the charge. The win ensured a dream India-Pakistan showdown for the tournament decider at Dubai International Stadium.
Pakistan’s batting struggles
Batting first after losing the toss, Pakistan once again saw their top order falter. Saim Ayub was dismissed for a duck, his fourth in six innings of the tournament, while Fakhar Zaman managed just 13 off 20 balls.
Captain Salman Agha scored 19, but it was Mohammad Haris (31 off 23) and Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15) who provided some much-needed momentum. Shaheen Afridi chipped in with a handy 19, while Faheem Ashraf finished unbeaten on 14, helping Pakistan post 135/8.
Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 28 runs. Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain took two each.
Bangladesh fall short
Chasing 136, Bangladesh lost Parvez Hossain Emon for a duck in the first over to Afridi, who later removed Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain to finish with figures of 3/17.
Shamim’s 30 off 25 balls kept Bangladesh in the hunt, while Saif Hassan (18) and Nurul Hasan (16) added useful runs. However, regular wickets prevented Bangladesh from building partnerships.
Haris Rauf also claimed 3/33, while Saim Ayub struck twice to dent Bangladesh further. Nawaz added one wicket as Pakistan restricted them to 124/9 in 20 overs.
India vs Pakistan on Sunday
With the victory, Pakistan booked their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final, where they will take on arch-rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.
The final promises to be a blockbuster, with both teams looking to claim regional supremacy. For Pakistan, the bowlers’ form is a huge positive, but the batting lineup will need to step up against India’s strong attack.
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