Pakistan Defeats Bangladesh, Book Final Clash with India
Pakistan Defeats Bangladesh, Book Final Clash with India
Asia Cup - Bangladesh Vs Pakistan: Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 11 runs in a low-scoring thriller, thanks to brilliant bowling spells from Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.
Pakistan secured a close 11-run win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring match to reach the Asia Cup final, where they will meet rivals India. After being pushed to 135 by Bangladesh’s bowlers, Pakistan’s attack fought back strongly and defended the total with great effort.
Pakistan’s Innings
Batting first, Pakistan had a shaky start. Sahibzada Farhan (4) and Saim Ayub (0) went cheaply, while Fakhar Zaman struggled before falling for 13 off 20 balls. Salman Agha (19) and Hussain Talat (3) couldn’t convert their starts, leaving Pakistan in early trouble.
Mohammad Haris injected some energy with a quick 31 off 23 balls, striking two boundaries and a six. Shaheen Afridi added a lively 19 off 13 balls with two sixes, and Mohammad Nawaz’s explosive 25 off 15 gave Pakistan a much-needed late push. Faheem Ashraf (14* off 9) also chipped in to take the team to 135/8 in 20 overs.
Taskin Ahmed (3/28) was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers, while Rishad Hossain (2/18) kept things tight in the middle overs.
Bangladesh’s Chase
Chasing 136, Bangladesh’s innings never really got going. Shaheen Afridi dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon for a duck and Towhid Hridoy for 5, while Haris Rauf removed Saif Hassan (18) soon after.
Shamim Hossain fought back with 30 off 25 balls, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end. Mahedi Hasan (11) and Nurul Hasan (16) tried to stabilise, but Pakistan’s bowlers kept them under pressure.
The lower order chipped in with Rishad Hossain’s unbeaten 16 off 11 and Mustafizur Rahman’s 6 off 4, but it wasn’t enough as Bangladesh fell short at 124/9 in 20 overs.
Shaheen Afridi was superb with 3/17, Haris Rauf grabbed 3/33, and Saim Ayub impressed with his part-time spin, taking 2/16.
The Result
With this win, Pakistan not only stayed alive but also confirmed their spot in the Asia Cup 2025 Final against India. Fans can now look forward to the most-awaited clash of the tournament — an India vs Pakistan showdown for the title.
Brief Scores
Pakistan: 135/8 in 20 overs, Mohammad Haris – 31 (23), Mohammad Nawaz – 25 (15)
Bangladesh: 124/9 in 20 overs, Shamim Hossain – 30 (25), Saif Hassan – 18 (15)