Pakistan have officially booked their place in Asia Cup 2025 final ,after a hard-fought victory against Bangladesh in a low-scoring T20 thriller. Defending a modest total of 135/8, Pakistan’s world-class bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, restricted Bangladesh to 124/9, sealing an 11-run win and again met india in final on Sunday.
Pakistan Innings
Bangladesh winning the toss and put Pakistan to bat first, the start was far from ideal Sahibzada Farhan (4) fell quickly to Taskin Ahmed , while Saim Ayub departed without scoring . Fakhar zaman 13 off 20 balls struggled to find rhythm , leaving pakistan under pressure , captain salman Ali Agha 19 off 23 balls tried to hold the innings together but his dismissal meant pakistan continued to lose wickets at regular wickets intervals.
The innings show some revival when Mohammad Haris 31 off 23 Played with intent , striking two fours and one six, his Knock provided much needed momentum before he was dismissed by Mahedi Hasan ,in later stage lower order took charge Shaheen Afridi 19 off 13 hit two sixes , while Mohammad Nawaz 25 off 15 balls played cameo with one four and two sixes and Faheem Ashraf 14 off 9 balls , Pakistan managed to score 135/ 8 in 20 overs.
Bangladesh bowlers keep things tight , Taskin Ahmed takes 3/28 in 4 over, while Rishad and Mahedi gets 2 wickets each, Mustafizur gets only one wicket.
Bangladesh Innings
Chasing 136, Bangladesh needed a steady start but were jolted early when Parvez Hossain Emon (0) fell to Shaheen Afridi. Opener Saif Hassan (18 off 15) showed promise with two sixes but couldn’t convert his start, dismissed by Haris Rauf. The innings further slipped when Towhid Hridoy (5 off 10) and Mahedi Hasan (11 off 10) departed cheaply.
Nurul Hasan (16 off 21) played a cautious knock, but his inability to rotate strike added pressure on the middle order. The standout performer for Bangladesh was Shamim Hossain (30 off 25), who struck two sixes and tried to rebuild the chase. However, his dismissal to Shaheen Afridi shifted momentum back to Pakistan.
The lower order couldn’t handle the pressure. Jaker Ali (5), Tanzim Hasan Sakib (10), and Taskin Ahmed (4 off 2) played short cameos, but the rising required rate proved too steep. Rishad Hossain (16 off 11) and Mustafizur Rahman (6 off 4) tried to fight till the end, but Bangladesh fell short, finishing at 124/9 in 20 overs.
Pakistan’s bowlers delivered a masterclass in defending small totals. Shaheen Afridi (3/17) set the tone with the new ball and broke crucial partnerships later. Haris Rauf (3/33) provided pace and aggression, striking at vital junctures. Saim Ayub (2/16 ) in 4 overs controlled the middle over while Nawaz gets one wicket.