Shaheen, Rauf help Pakistan set up first-ever Asia Cup final clash with India, beat Bangladesh by 11 runs
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Pakistan’s bowlers turned the tide in a thrilling Super Four clash, securing an 11-run win over Bangladesh and booking their spot in the Asia Cup 2025 final. For the first time in the tournament’s history across ODI and T20I formats, they’ll face fierce rivals India in the title showdown.
The victory wrapped up Pakistan’s Super Four stage with two wins and one loss, landing them second on the points table. India leads with a perfect record after two wins and takes on Sri Lanka Friday to stay unbeaten. Bangladesh ends third with one win and two losses, while Sri Lanka sits last after dropping both games and getting knocked out.
Chasing a modest 136, Bangladesh crumbled early, losing three wickets for just 44 runs in the powerplay. Shaheen Shah Afridi wrecked havoc with 3 wickets for 17 runs in four overs, teaming up brilliantly with Haris Rauf’s 3 for 33. Shamim Hossain fought back with 30 runs off 25 balls, including two sixes, but Pakistan kept the pressure on. Bangladesh finished at 124 for 9, with Rishad Hossain unbeaten on 16 off 11 and Mustafizur Rahman on 6 off 4 unable to close the gap despite needing 51 in the last five overs. The side clearly missed injured captain Litton Das’s experience.
This win set a new record: the lowest total defended in Dubai for a T20I between full-member teams. It beats New Zealand’s 144 against Pakistan back in 2018.
Haris Rauf sealed the deal with crucial strikes in the death overs, stopping Bangladesh from building momentum. He climbed to eighth on the all-time T20I wicket-takers list with 133 scalps in 93 matches, passing Australia’s Adam Zampa’s 130. His average sits at 20.72, with best figures of 4 for 18. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan still leads with 173 wickets in 103 games.
Rauf also grabbed the top spot for most wickets in T20I Asia Cup history, overtaking Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga. In 10 matches, he’s snared 17 wickets at 15.76 average, with a best of 3 for 29. Across this Asia Cup 2025, he’s taken nine wickets at 12.77, tying for second behind India’s Kuldeep Yadav’s 12.
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Jaker Ali chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Their attack struck immediately, reducing Pakistan to 71 for 6 in 13.3 overs. Taskin Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, and Rishad Hossain dominated, as none of Pakistan’s top five batters reached 20. Taskin led with 3 for 28, backed by Rishad’s 2 for 18 and Mahedi’s 2 for 28. Mustafizur added 1 for 33.
A gritty 38-run partnership between Mohammad Haris (31 off 23, with two fours and a six) and Mohammad Nawaz (25 not out off 15, including a four and two sixes) lifted Pakistan to 135 for 8. They were the only batters to hit 20 or more.
Mustafizur Rahman hit a milestone too, surpassing New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi for third on the T20I wicket list with 151 in 119 matches at 20.66 average and a best of 6 for 10. He’s Bangladesh’s leading taker, ahead of Shakib al Hasan’s 149, and trails only Rashid Khan overall.
On a sour note for Pakistan, opener Saim Ayub’s tough Asia Cup 2025 run worsened with his fourth duck in six innings. He edged out Shahid Afridi for second-most ducks by a Pakistani in T20Is—eight for Afridi in 90 innings, now nine for Ayub in far fewer. Ayub fell for a three-ball duck to Mahedi Hasan in this must-win game. His tournament tally? Just 23 runs at 3.83 average, with one score of 21 against India.
In 47 T20Is, Ayub has 839 runs in 45 innings at 19.51 average and 134.24 strike rate, including four fifties and a high of 98 not out. But this year, in 20 innings, he’s managed 341 runs at 17.05 and over 129 strike rate, with three fifties and a best of 69.
Brief scores: Pakistan 135 for 8 (Mohammad Haris 31, Mohammad Nawaz 25 not out; Taskin Ahmed 3/28) beat Bangladesh 124 for 9 (Shamim Hossain 30, Saif Hassan 18; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3/17, Haris Rauf 3/33) by 11 runs.
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