In a thrilling Super 4 match of the Asia Cup T20 in Dubai, Pakistan secured an 11-run victory over Bangladesh to book a spot in the final. Bangladesh failed to chase the modest target of 136 runs, ending their innings at 124 for 9 in 20 overs. Pakistan defeats Bangladesh to reach Asia Cup final, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown with arch-rival India on Sunday.
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field first. Pakistan’s batting lineup, unchanged from their match against Sri Lanka, struggled early on. The top order collapsed quickly, with half the team back in the pavilion for just 49 runs. Opener Sahibzada Farhan scored only 4, while Saim Ayub recorded his fourth duck of the tournament. Fakhar Zaman and Hussain Talat also failed to deliver, scoring 13 and 3 respectively.
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Captain Salman Ali Agha added 19 runs before getting out, while late contributions from Mohammad Haris (31), Mohammad Nawaz (25), and Shaheen Afridi (19) helped Pakistan reach a defendable total. Faheem Ashraf remained not out on 14, and Haris Rauf added 3. Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Mehidy Hasan and Rishad Hossain took two each.
Bangladesh’s chase got off to a shaky start. Pakistani bowlers struck early, with Shaheen Afridi dismissing Parvez Hossain for a duck and Towhid Hridoy for just 5. By the time the score reached 63, five of their batters were already out. Saif Hassan scored 18, Mehidy Hasan added 11, and later Shamim Hossain tried to fight back with a 30-run knock, but it wasn’t enough.
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Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf led the bowling for Pakistan with three wickets each. Saim Ayub chipped in with two, and Mohammad Nawaz took one. Pakistan’s bowlers maintained tight lines and did not allow Bangladesh to recover. Their disciplined performance in both innings secured the team’s place in the final with confidence and control.
With this win, Pakistan defeats Bangladesh to reach Asia Cup final, where they will face India in a highly anticipated clash on Sunday. Sri Lanka is already out of the race, and the last Super 4 match between India and Sri Lanka will not affect the final lineup. Fans now look forward to a historic final between the two cricketing giants.