Pakistan Entered Final Beating Bangladesh By 11 Runs
Pakistan Entered Final Beating Bangladesh By 11 Runs
Pakistan's bowlers put on a masterclass to defend a modest 135, clinching a nail-biting 11-run victory against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were the wreckers-in-chief with three wickets each in a thrilling Dubai showdown that went down to the wire.
The match, a story of two halves, was a testament to the age-old cricket saying: "batsmen win you games, bowlers win you tournaments."
Pakistan's Batting Stumbles After Being Put In
After being asked to bat first by Bangladesh, Pakistan's innings never truly took off. The top order crumbled under disciplined bowling from the Tigers. Taskin Ahmed (3/28) and young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (2/18) were exceptional, making early inroads. Sahibzada Farhan (4), the dangerous Fakhar Zaman (13), and the in-form Saim Ayub (0) were sent back to the pavilion with the score barely moving.
Captain Salman Agha (19) tried to steady the ship, but it was the late fireworks from Mohammad Haris (31 off 23), a fiery cameo from Shaheen Afridi (19 off 13), and a blistering 25 off 15 balls from Mohammad Nawaz that gave the Pakistani total some respectability. Their crucial runs at the death pushed Pakistan to 135/8, a score that looked challenging but beatable on the Dubai surface.
The Shaheen and Rauf Show Crushes Bangladesh's Hopes
Chasing 136 for a vital Super Fours victory, Bangladesh's start was nothing short of a nightmare, thanks to the sheer pace and swing of Shaheen Afridi (3/17). He struck in his very first over, removing Parvez Hossain Emon for a duck and soon after, sent Towhid Hridoy back, leaving Bangladesh reeling.
Despite a solid start from Saif Hassan (18), the wickets kept tumbling. Shamim Hossain (30 off 25) played a lone hand, trying to anchor the innings, but he found little support. The surprise package for Pakistan was part-timer Saim Ayub, who made up for his batting failure with two crucial wickets (2/16), including that of the opposition captain Jaker Ali.
Just when Rishad Hossain (16*) started to give Bangladesh a glimmer of hope towards the end, Haris Rauf (3/33) returned to unleash his thunderbolts, cleaning up the tail and sealing a memorable 11-run victory for Pakistan.
What's Next? The Big Fight!
This hard-fought win gives Pakistan crucial points in the Super Fours stage. All eyes will now turn to the blockbuster clash on the horizon. As the buzz grows louder, everyone knows what's coming: In Dubai, the great rivalry is back for a big fight on September 28th!
Player of The Match-Shaheen Afridi
Todays Match
IND VS SL
Last Super4
Dubai
8PM
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