Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 11 runs in a thrilling match to secure their place in the Asia Cup final, where they will face arch-rivals India on Sunday.
In the crucial Super Four stage match played in Dubai, Pakistan batted first and scored 135 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. The batting lineup struggled initially, with the top five batsmen contributing a total of just 49 runs. Captain Salman Ali Agha scored 19 runs, Fakhar Zaman managed 13 runs, and Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for just 4 runs. Saim Ayub was once again dismissed without scoring. Shaheen Afridi added 19 runs, while Mohammad Haris scored 31 runs, and Mohammad Nawaz contributed 25 runs.
In response, the Bangladesh team fell short of the target, finishing at 124 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Shamim Hussain played a commendable innings, scoring 30 runs. Saif Hassan contributed 18 runs, and Noorul Hassan added 16 runs, while captain Zakir Ali managed only 5 runs.
Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were exceptional with the ball for Pakistan, each taking three wickets. Saim Ayub took two wickets, and Mohammad Nawaz claimed one wicket. For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed took three wickets, while Mehdi Hassan and Rashad Hussain each took two wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman secured one wicket.
Read also: India defeats Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2025
Bangladesh captain Zakir Ali won the toss and chose to invite Salman Ali Agha’s side to bat first.
