Pakistan beat Bangladesh in Asia Cup thriller, to meet India in final

Pakistan overcame their batting woes to snatch a narrow 11-run win over Bangladesh in a do-or-die Super Four game in Asia Cup 2025 at Dubai International Cricket stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday (September 25) to make the final of the biennial tournament.

They will meet arch-rivals India in the final at the same venue on Sunday (September 28). It will be the first time in the 41-year history of the Asia Cup that the two sides will meet in its title round. India have won the tournament eight times while Pakistan twice.

Bangladesh falter in 'semi-final'

In Thursday’s game, which was virtually a semi-final with both teams having won a game each, The Tigers did well to restrict Pakistan to a modest 135 for 8 in 20 overs, but made a hash of their chase to manage only 124 in their 20 for the loss of all but one wicket. It was their second successive failure in as many days after they lost against India by 41 runs on Wednesday (September 24).

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The humble target could have been chased with a bit of common sense and some proper cricketing shots, but the Bangladeshi batters found every possible way to get dismissed after Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/17 in 4 overs) bowled a brilliant opening spell, taking two wickets in the powerplay.

Once Haris Rauf (3/23 in 3 overs) got rid of the opposition danger-man Saif Hassan (18), who had warmed up with two sixes, none of the other batters showed the grit for a fight. Rauf later polished off the tail with a few express deliveries and kept his cool to bowl the final two deliveries on spot.

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Bangladesh’s woes were complicated by the fact that none of their batters had any clue about facing the Pakistani spin troika of Saim Ayub (2/16 in 4 overs), Mohammed Nawaz (1/14 in 3 overs) and Abrar Ahmed (0/23 in 3 overs), who put the brakes on their chasing side’s scoring during the middle overs.

Pakistan restricted to 135

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers continued with their good show in humid conditions for the second day in a row as they restricted Pakistan to 135.

Senior bowlers Mustafizur Rahaman (1/33 in 4 overs), Taskin Ahmed (3/28 in 4 overs) and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (2/18 in 4 overs) utilised the tacky turner on offer as none of the top-order Pakistan batters could break free.

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Mohammed Haris (31 off 23 balls), Pakistan’s best batter in the tournament, once again took the fight to the opposition, with a plucky knock, while Shaheen Shah Afridi (19), with a couple of sixes and a lucky Mohammed Nawaz (25 off 15 balls), also played effective cameos after a total of even 100 looked distant.

Saim Ayub’s horrendous run persisted as he fell for his fourth duck, failing to clear the mid-on against off-spinner Mahedi Hasan.

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An India-Pakistan final would be a perfect ending for a tournament that has seen many heated moments of off-field tension between the two teams. India have beaten Pakistan twice in the tournament already but the Green Shirts would leave no stone unturned to reciprocate in the encounter that matters the most.

(With Agency inputs)