Mediocre Bangladesh stumble to Pakistan in Asia Cup , Pak in final

 

The match was virtually a semifinal. India had already secured their place in the final, while Sri Lanka were knocked out. That meant it was crystal clear from the start — whichever team won between Pakistan and Bangladesh would claim the remaining spot in the title clash. Despite putting up a modest score, Pakistan were never going to surrender meekly. In the end, Bangladesh faltered in their chase, falling short of Pakistan’s total, and thus the cricketing world braces once again for the ultimate rivalry: India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup final.

Bangladesh captain Zakir Ali, standing in once more for the absent Liton Das, won the toss and opted to field first. Three changes were made from the side that played against India. The decision seemed to pay off immediately when Taskin Ahmed removed Sahibzada Farhan with just the fourth ball of the innings. That early jolt rattled Pakistan, and their innings kept collapsing at regular intervals. At 71 for 6, they looked completely derailed.

However, a spirited late fightback from Mohammad Haris (31 off 23, 2 fours, 1 six) and Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15, 1 four, 2 sixes) added some respectability. In the final 10 overs, Pakistan managed 89 runs, scoring at over 10 runs per over in the last 4. Even so, they could only reach 135 for 8. Taskin (3 for 28) was outstanding, while Mehidy Hasan (2 for 28) and Rishad Hossain (2 for 18) also impressed with the ball.

Pakistan’s innings of struggle and recovery was mirrored by Bangladesh’s. Just like their opponents, they too lost a wicket in the opening over — on the fifth ball, as Parvez departed for a duck, caught brilliantly by Mohammad Nawaz off Shaheen Afridi. Though the target was not daunting, the pressure of Pakistan’s disciplined bowling was evident. Wickets fell consistently, and after 10 overs Bangladesh stood at 58 for 4 — eerily similar to Pakistan’s position, except they had 12 runs more on the board at that stage.

The contest turned into a gripping tug-of-war. At 63, Bangladesh lost their fifth wicket, with Nawaz holing out to Nurul Hasan at long-off while attempting a big shot. From that moment, the pendulum of fortune clearly began to swing towards Pakistan. With a fragile batting lineup, Bangladesh’s resistance crumbled swiftly.

Even then, a faint glimmer of hope flickered. With 12 balls left, Bangladesh needed 33 runs. Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman struck a couple of boundaries to ignite some late drama. Going into the final over, 23 were still required. After two deliveries, 18 were needed off the last three. Rishad launched one over long-on for six, sparking wild optimism in the stands — could a miracle still happen? But Pakistan kept their nerve. The final two balls were dots, sealing an 11-run victory for them.

The result? Pakistan march into the final, setting the stage for another blockbuster showdown — the eternal rivalry, India vs Pakistan.