Pakistan vs Bangladesh Super Four – 5 T20 Match – Result, Scorecard

Back with the chase! The players of Pakistan have walked out and are taking their respective positions. Also, the two openers of Bangladesh stride out, where Saif Hassan will open the innings alongside Parvez Hossain Emon. For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi has the new ball in his hands, and he will start the proceedings like he does more often than not. Here we go…

… THE RUN CHASE …

Pakistan eventually finished on 135, a total that carries an interesting twist. That very number happens to be the lowest total they have successfully defended against Bangladesh in T20Is. On the flip side, Bangladesh’s highest successful chase against Pakistan is 142. With the scores perfectly brushing against the boundaries of history, the chase promises to be a fascinating test of nerves and execution. The new batters have found it difficult to go bang-bang from the first ball and if Pakistan manage to pick up early wickets inside the Powerplay, they could actually put the underwhelmingly performing Bangladeshi middle order without Litton Das, under pressure. We are up for a clash worth all its billing. The winner will advance to the finale on Sunday. It is all set up for an exciting run chase, which is on the other side. Stay tuned.

Taskin Ahmed yet again proved to be a valuable asset for Bangladesh with the ball as he picked up 3 big wickets, while Rishad Hossain was highly economical with an economy of just 4.5, taking a couple of wickets as well. Bangladesh, though, were not as sharp in the field as they would have liked, spilling a few straightforward chances that could have deepened Pakistan’s woes even further. Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Haris attempted to give the innings a late surge, and for a while their partnership looked promising. But both of their valuable contributions were cut short in the closing stages. But those crucial cameos from the lower order helped Pakistan to fetch 52 runs in the final 5 overs.

The squeeze intensified in the middle passage. Bangladesh’s bowlers maintained a relentless grip, exposing the fragility of Pakistan’s middle order. Fakhar Zaman attempted an enterprising counter, but his effort was fleeting. With the scoreboard reading 33/4, Pakistan were in dire need of a stabilising alliance. That resolve never materialised in the first half, as wickets fell in an unbroken procession. From overs 7 to 15, Pakistan mustered just 56 runs while surrendering four wickets in the process. Shaheen Afridi’s lively little cameo offered a fleeting burst of momentum, but Taskin made sure it did not last long.

Bangladesh’s seamers once again showcased their precision at the outset, much like they did against India, striking early to leave Pakistan in a precarious state. There was little swing available, yet the discipline and immaculate control from Taskin and company suffocated any chance of a free-flowing start. Sahibzada’s early departure and Saim’s fourth duck of the Asia Cup compounded the pressure, and Pakistan huffed and puffed to just 27/1 at the close of the Powerplay.

Phew. A highly entertaining first inning. 46/4 in the first ten overs, followed by 89/4 in the next ten. And with the last three overs going for 33 runs, Pakistan might feel that they have at least got some runs on the board, if not a very fighting total. Full marks to Bangladesh for being absolutely spot on with the ball, though. Had the fielders complemented them enough by sticking those easy chances in the field, who knows, Pakistan potentially could have been reduced to an even lower total.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, Mustafizur Rahman gets away with it! He serves a full toss, on leg, Faheem Ashraf flicks it off the inside half of the bat towards deep mid-wicket for another double. Pakistan finish on 135/8!

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, Pitched up and on off, Faheem Ashraf lofts it on the boucne to long off and refuses the run.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, Fuller and around off, Faheem Ashraf thrashes it wide of long on, where the fielder moves to his right and picks it up cleanly. However, he tries to throw it in the same motion but does not get any power on it, and Haris makes it back comfortably for another brace.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, A full toss, on middle, Faheem Ashraf tries to loft it away but loses his bottom hand and gets no timing. The ball goes over the bowler's head and between long on and long off, giving the batters enough time for a second run.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, FOUR! Streaky but they all count! Mustafizur Rahman bangs this into the pitch, outside off, with no protection in the deep on that side. Faheem Ashraf slashes hard, gets an outside edge that flies over short third for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, WIDE! Short of a length but way outside off, Faheem Ashraf leaves it alone. Wided.

Mustafizur Rahman to Faheem Ashraf, Nails the yorker, on off, Faheem Ashraf jams it out towards long off but denies the single. Pretty clear strategy from Pakistan – Faheem will try to face every ball here.

Mustafizur Rahman (3-0-22-1) to deliver the last over of the first inning. Can Pakistan go past 140? Bangladesh have been penalised for not completing their overs in time. Meaning, an extra fielder will have to be stationed inside the 30-yard circle.

Taskin Ahmed to Faheem Ashraf, Takes pace off, full and on leg, Faheem Ashraf clips it to deep mid-wicket for one more. Taskin Ahmed on his return to the side ends with brillaint figures of 4-0-28-3!

Taskin Ahmed to Haris Rauf, A good yorker now, on off, Haris Rauf digs it off the bottom of the bat through mid-wicket for one.

Taskin Ahmed to Haris Rauf, Swing and a miss! Slower one, full and around off, Haris Rauf goes through his slog early and misses.

Taskin Ahmed to Haris Rauf, Pitched up and on middle, Haris Rauf drills it away wide of long on for a couple of runs.

Haris Rauf is in at 10.

Taskin Ahmed to Mohammad Nawaz, OUT! TAKEN! Bangladesh finally holds on to one! This is a fantastic grab, and Taskin Ahmed has three now. He sees the batter backing away and serves this full, around off, keeping it out of the reach of the batter. Mohammad Nawaz still tries to go after it but only manages to get a top edge as the ball goes high in the air. Parvez Hossain Emon at extra covers backtracks, keeps his eyes on the ball, and takes a superb catch tumbling in the end but holds onto it. Tasking gives a send-off to Nawaz, who departs for a quick cameo of 25 off 15. Pakistan eight down now!

Taskin Ahmed to Mohammad Nawaz, SIX! Clean hit! Taskin Ahmed lands this back of a length and on middle, nothing delivery as this sits up nicely for the batter. Mohammad Nawaz gets on top of the bounce and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie. The ball boy tries to catch it with a dive to his left, but fails to grab it.

Taskin Ahmed (3-0-18-2) returns and will bowl the penultimate.

Mahedi Hasan to Faheem Ashraf, Flatter, full and angling into the pads, Faheem Ashraf tucks it wide of short fine for a brace. 12 runs off the over. Mahedi Hasan finishes with economical figures of 4-0-28-2!

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Nawaz, Dragged back and around off, Mohammad Nawaz slaps it to long off for one.

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Nawaz, WIDE! Darts in a wide yorker, but this is way outside off, Mohammad Nawaz lets it go. Wided.

Mahedi Hasan to Faheem Ashraf, Goes short and on middle, Faheem Ashraf punches it to long on for a run.

Faheem Ashraf is in at number 9.

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Haris, OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Mahedi Hasan gets his second, and this is a crucial one for Bangladesh at this point of time. This is bowled quicker, full and on leg, following the batter. Mohammad Haris backs away and looks to thump it down the ground but just fails to get the elevation and hits it flat towards the bowler. Mahedi, on his follow-through, shows good reflexes to take a fine return catch to his left. Haris walks back for a valuable 31 off 23, and Pakistan are 109/7!

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Nawaz, Fires this one full and on middle, angling in, Mohammad Nawaz looks to slog it over mid-wicket but gets an inside edge onto the keeper's pads as it rolls towards short fine. A single taken.

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Nawaz, SIX! BANG! Just what Pakistan needed! Floated, full and just on off, Mohammad Nawaz, just with the extension of his arms, gets under it and slams it over the long on fence for a biggie.

The last 5 overs have been productive for Pakistan as they have managed to score 47 runs. Mahedi Hasan returns and will wrap up his spell. 3-0-16-1 so far for Hasan.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Nawaz, Pitched up and on off, Mohammad Nawaz pushes it through covers for one.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Nawaz, RUN OUT CHANCE…MISSED! Short of a length and on middle, Mohammad Nawaz pulls it towards deep square leg and turns around for the second run and does not even look at his partner. However, Parvez Hossain Emon throws it at the wrong end towards the keeper, giving Haris the time to take off and make it to the other end with a dive. 100 UP FOR PAKISTAN!

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Nawaz, WIDE! Tries the yorker but just loses his line and bowls it down the leg, Mohammad Nawaz misses his flick. Called a wide.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Haris, A full toss, outside off, Mohammad Haris tries to smash it over extra covers but gets an inside edge towards fine leg for one.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Haris, Fuller and outside off, Mohammad Haris gets low and carves it away wide of deep point. The fielder runs to his right and dives to stop the ball and saves two for his side.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Haris, Swing and a miss! Tanzim Hasan Sakib bowls a wide yorker, outside off, Mohammad Haris goes down across to swipe it away but fails to connect.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Nawaz, Hard length and around off, Mohammad Nawaz stabs it out off the bottom half of the bat towards mid off for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, SIX! Adventurous from Haris and he gets the reward! Angled across the batter, outside off, on a tad fuller length. Mohammad Haris shuffles across and scoops it over deep fine leg for a six. 11 off the over and Mustafizur Rahman's figures read 3-0-22-1 so far.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, Bouncer again from Mustafizur, on the leg stump. Mohammad Haris short-arm jabs it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, A deceptive bumper, slower one as well, on top of off. Mohammad Haris is early on the pull shot and misses to connect. The ball is gathered by Jaker Ali behind the stumps and he appeals for caught behind but it is not entertained by the umpire.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, Spears in a length-delivery, on middle. Haris stands tall and stabs it off the back foot.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, Overthrows! From over the stumps now. Full and around middle and off. Haris brings the bat in front and taps it out to the cover region and rushes to the other end for a single. A wayward throw from the cover fielder toward the bowling end, and with no proper backup on the leg side, this allows the batters to cross over for the second run as well.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Nawaz, Around the stumps, short and tries to tuck the batter for room by bowling on the bodyline. Nawaz swivels and pulls it through widish mid-wicket for a single.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Nawaz, Slows it up, short and outside off, Mohammad Nawaz punches it to extra covers for one more. Rishad Hossain finishes a super spell with figures of 4-0-18-2!

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, Goes short again and outside off, turns further away, Mohammad Haris drags it down to wide long on for one.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Nawaz, Tossed up, full and on off, Mohammad Nawaz eases it to long on for a run.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Nawaz, Almost dragged on! Flatter, short and on off, turns in a long way, Mohammad Nawaz gets cramped up and pats it on the pitch as the ball drops on his boots. Could have easily gone onto the stumps.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, Floated, full and on middle, Mohammad Haris goes down and sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, FOUR! Fine shot! Rishad Hossain drags his length back and around off, turns away, Mohammad Haris rocks back quickly and heaves it away to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary.

Rishad Hossain (3-0-10-2) to bowl out now.

Taskin Ahmed to Mohammad Nawaz, DROPPED, FOUR! Bangladesh have been very sloppy in the field tonight! On a good length, just outside the off stump line. Nawaz charges down the track and smashes it aerially, but straight towards Parvez Hossain Emon stationed at deep cover. Emon moves to his left and tries to grab the catch, but makes a meal of it and to make things worse, the ball trickles into the ropes. What potentially could have been a wicket for Bangladesh, adds four runs to Pakistan's total.

Taskin Ahmed to Mohammad Nawaz, A well-directed bumper from Taskin on the bodyline. Mohammad Nawaz leans back and drops his wrists to let that fly behind to the keeper.

Taskin Ahmed to Mohammad Nawaz, Touch full and outside off, Nawaz gets on top of it and drives it to the cover-point region.

Mohammad Nawaz is the next man in.

Taskin Ahmed to Shaheen Afridi, OUT! STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! The Bangladeshis are pumped up to bits and why not? But Shaheen Afridi is requested to wait by the on-field umpire to check whether ball is above waist height. It is not. Clearly dipping onto the batter. Coming onto the delivery, Taskin slips in an in-dipping full toss, on the leg stump. Shaheen Afridi swivels to pull it over deep square leg, but only manages to get a thick top edge as the bat twists in point of contact. The ball flies over square leg and Jaker Ali screams for the catch, running to his right from behind the stumps. Locks his eyes on the ball, and despite a couple of fielders converging around him, he keeps his calm and takes a fabulous running catch. Shaheen Afridi departs for a breezy 19 (13) and Pakistan further slip down to 71/6 after 13.3 overs.

Taskin Ahmed to Shaheen Afridi, On the pads, on a length. Shaheen Afridi tries to play it across to the leg side and is beaten on the inside edge before getting thudded on the front pad. A stifled appeal for LBW, but it is clearly pitching outside the leg stump line.

Taskin Ahmed to Shaheen Afridi, SIX! You bowl him there, and he will just whack it over the ropes! Lands it short and around off, an off cutter. Shaheen Afridi has all the time in the world to pull it over deep mid-wicket for a huge six!

Will Rishad Hossain bowl out? Nope, Jaker Ali is saving his one over and brings Taskin Ahmed back into the attack now.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Shaheen Afridi, Pace on at 134.6 kph, hard length, outside off. Shaheen Afridi hangs back and dabs it behind to deep third for a single. 10 off the over, and 14 from the last two overs for Pakistan. Tanzim Hasan Sakib's figures read 3-0-20-0 so far.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Shaheen Afridi, Clever stuff from Sakib! Takes all the pace off, on a good length, wide outside off. Shaheen Afridi clears the front foot and shapes to heave it across, but misses again on the connection.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Shaheen Afridi, Slower one at 118.0 kph, outside off on a length. Shaheen Afridi swings across to pull, but he is very early into the shot and is beaten by the lack of pace.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Shaheen Afridi, SIX! He has picked the bones out of it! Shortish delivery, around off. Shaheen Afridi goes deep inside the crease and pulls it handsomely over deep square leg for a huge six.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Shaheen Afridi, Shortish delivery, on top of off, angling in. Shaheen Afridi swivels to pull over the leg side, but gets a top edge as the ball bounces a bit. It flies over the keeper, and runs towards the fence at deep third, but Jaker Ali runs after it and dives to flick the ball inside the playing area. Saves two for his side.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Mohammad Haris, Fuller delivery, just outside off, crisply driven past cover for a single.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, On a length, drifting onto the pads. Haris hangs deep in the crease and steers it to widish square leg for a single.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, Length, outside off, steered away to backward point.

Rishad Hossain to Shaheen Afridi, STRAIGHT UP AND DROPPED! Mahedi Hasan shells a chance now. Tossed up, full and on off, turns away as this is a googly. Shaheen Afridi gets low and tries to slog it over the leg side, but he certainly doesn't get his bat under the ball and ends up airing it off the toe end of the bat. Mahedi Hasan from long on runs a few yards in, locking his eyes on the ball. Tries to grab it but the ball pops in and out of his palms. A single taken. A lifeline for Shaheen.

Rishad Hossain to Shaheen Afridi, Length, sliding on the stumps, Shaheen dances down the track and mistimes it over mid on for a couple of runs.

Rishad Hossain to Shaheen Afridi, UMPIRE'S CALL! Shaheen is safe, for now! From around the stumps, Rishad dishes out a length ball. It lands outside off and spins back in a very long way, across the batter. Shaheen Afridi shuffles across and tries to slog it over the leg side, but misses to connect and is rapped on the front pad. A huge appeal for LBW, but not given. Jaker Ali walks to Rishad Hossain and after a brief chat, this is referred upstairs for a review! UltraEdge detects nothing and the Ball Tracking shows that the impact is inside the line of the stumps, but the ball is clipping the leg stump on the umpire's call. NOT OUT! The on-field decision stays.

Rishad Hossain to Shaheen Afridi, DROPPED! It wasn't an easy chance, but being a keeper himself, this should have been taken by Nurul Hasan. Fuller ball, around off, spinning away. Shaheen Afridi tries to smash it inside out over the off side, but mistimes it by hitting it flat and to the left of Nurul at cover. Hasan flies towards his left with a dive, but does not manage to cling on to it.

Mustafizur Rahman to Shaheen Afridi, Back of a length, speared on middle. Shaheen Afridi gets a bit across and knocks it to the right of mid on for a single. Top stuff from 'The Fizz' after an ordinary game against India. His figures read 2-0-11-1 so far.

Mustafizur Rahman to Shaheen Afridi, WIDE! Digs it into the surface, short and over the head height of the batter. Shaheen leans back and lets it be. Wide called for height. 50 UP FOR PAKISTAN!

Shaheen Afridi gets a promotion and comes out to bat now.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! An excellent review by the Bangladeshi skipper and Pakistan lose their skipper as well. An off cutter from 'The Fizz', on a good length, slanting away from the batter, around off, and jagging back in a touch as well. Salman Agha plays from the crease and tries to punch it straight, but the ball passes close to the inside edge and it is taken by Jaker Ali behind the stumps. An appeal for caught behind, but not given. Jaker Ali, however, is very confident and straightaway takes the review to challenge the on-field decision. The technology comes up and shows a clear spike on the UltraEdge when the ball is next to the inside edge. The on-field decision is overturned and Salman Agha departs for 19 (23). Pakistan are tottering at 49/5.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, Another length ball, outside off, and this is steered towards deep third for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, At 135.5 kph, this is on a length, on top of middle. Salman Agha hangs deep in the crease and glides it behind to deep third for one more.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, Similar line and length, Haris opens the bat face deliberately late and runs it behind to deep third for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mohammad Haris, On middle and leg, on a length, dabbed out to the point region by Haris.

DRINKS BREAK. Pakistan are in all sorts of trouble at the moment and are in desperate need of a stable partnership. Once again, their vulnerabilities in this middle phase have been exposed. Full marks for Bangladesh as they have just not let the batters get any sort of breathing space and importantly, they have picked up wickets at regular intervals. Much like against India last night, they have been very proactive in the field as well. For Pakistan, it is all about batting full overs and at least one of these two batters will have to play till the end to post a challenging total on the board. Mustafizur Rahman is back on. Went for 6 off his first over.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Flighted, full and on middle, Salman Agha tucks it away through mid-wicket and puts the pressure on the fielder again. Rishad Hossain from long on runs to his right and takes his eyes off the ball, failing to pick it up cleanly. The batter gets an extra run, and Mahedi is not a happy man. Uh..oh! This is not good from Haris! The replay shows that he just did not put his bat inside the crease before running the second. The umpire signals a short run. Every run is crucial for Pakistan at this moment.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Dragged back, on middle, turns in, Salman Agha flicks it away towards deep mid-wicket and comes back for the second run. Haris was running to the danger end but made it easily. Mahedi not happy with the fielder's effort there.

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Haris, Floated, full and on leg, Mohammad Haris clips it thorugh square leg for a run.

Mahedi Hasan to Mohammad Haris, FOUR! Easy pickings! Mahedi Hasan fires one full but drifting down the leg side, Mohammad Haris just has to put some bat on that and tickles it away to the fine leg fence for a boundary after 22 balls.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Short again and on off, Salman Agha stays back and punches it to long on for a single.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Flatter, short and on middle, Salman Agha stabs it to the right of the bowler.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, TURN AND BOUNCE! Slows it up, full and on off, grips and turns away with extra bounce. Mohammad Haris looks to work it across the line but closes the bat face early. It takes the leading edge but drops well short of short covers.

Rishad Hossain to Salman Agha, Looped up, full and on off, Salman Agha swipes it through square leg for one.

Rishad Hossain to Salman Agha, Flatter, full and on middle and leg, Salman Agha pats it back to the bowler.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, Flighted, full and on middle, Mohammad Haris goes down and sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

Rishad Hossain to Mohammad Haris, In the air…SAFE! Tossed up, full and around off, turns away, Mohammad Haris reaches out and tries to punch it away, but slices it off the top edge. It flies over and wide of backward point as the batters take two runs.

Mohammad Haris walks in at number 6.

Rishad Hossain to Hussain Talat, OUT! TAKEN! You just cannot leave Rishad Hossain out of this game! First two catches, and now two wickets in two overs. He bowls this short and outside off, begging to be put away. Hussain Talat goes after it and tries to cut it away. He connects well but fails to keep it down and hits it straight towards backward point, where Saif Hassan dives forward to take a fantastic catch with the ball dying on him. Pakistan are four down now, and we are not even halfway through the overs. Hussain Talat departs for 3 (7).

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Salman Agha, Sharp bowling! Tanzim Hasan Sakib bangs in a bouncer at 127.7 clicks, gets some extra bounce, Salman Agha ducks a bit and leaves it alone. He thinks it is a wide but gets nothing from the umpire.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Salman Agha, On a length and on middle, Salman Agha nudges it to short mid-wicket.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Hussain Talat, Slower one, pulls his length back a bit, Hussain Talat runs it down to third man for one.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Hussain Talat, Gets off the mark! Touch fuller, on middle, Hussain Talat clips it towards deep mid-wicket. The fielder from long on charges to his left to pick it up wth one hand but lets it through, allowing an extra run.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Hussain Talat, Good length and on off, Hussain Talat opens the face of his bat and guides it to point. He has already played four dots.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Salman Agha, Back of a length and on off, Salman Agha punches it thorugh cover-point for a single.

The middle phase, meaning the period from 7-15 overs, has been a huge vulnerability for Pakistan. In this Asia Cup alone, they have lost 17 wickets in this phase, the most wickets lost by any team, with a run rate just in the immediate north of 6 runs per over. It will require a fighting knock, or rather, a fighting partnership for them to get bailed out of this precarious position. Tanzim Hasan Sakib is back on. 1-0-6-0 so far. He replaces Mustafizur Rahman.

Rishad Hossain to Hussain Talat, Quicker, full and around off, keeps low, Hussain Talat tries to go for the sweep initially but then adjusts and stabs it out towards point. Just 2 runs and a big wicket from Rishad's first over.

Rishad Hossain to Hussain Talat, Flatter, short and on middle, Hussain Talat pats it down the pitch, where Rishad collects it to his left.

Rishad Hossain to Hussain Talat, Loopy, full and on middle, turns in again, Hussain Talat tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Hussain Talat is in at 5 with Pakistan in a spot of bother.

Rishad Hossain to Fakhar Zaman, OUT! TAKEN! Rishad Hossain strikes in his first over now! He flights this one up, full and just on off, Fakhar Zaman goes inside out and looks to loft it over extra covers. However, this one turns in a bit and he ends up hitting it much straighter. Bangladesh have a wide long off in place for this shot, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib moves a bit to his right to take a fine catch. Zaman departs for 13 off 20, and Pakistan are 29/3 now!

Rishad Hossain to Salman Agha, Uppish but safe! Tossed up, full and around off, Salman Agha goes down but has to drag his sweep shot. Gets a top edge that flies towards deep square leg but on the bounce towards deep backward point for a run.

Rishad Hossain to Fakhar Zaman, Floated, short and on off, Fakhar Zaman waits for it and guides it to point for a single.

Excellent Powerplay for Bangladesh. Not a single over went in double digits. Here's Rishad Hossain to begin the post-Powerplay phase. He replaces Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, The Fizz responds with a quick bouncer, on off, angles away, Salman Agha lets it go to the keeper. Pakistan are 27/2 at the end of the Powerplay – their lowest in this Asia Cup!

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, FOUR! Up and over! Good-length delivery, on middle, Salman Agha uses his feet but stays leg side of the ball. He extends his arms and punches it over extra covers for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, Short of a length and on off, takes off a bit, Salman Agha gets a bit hurried by the extra bounce but does well to steer it to backward point.

Mustafizur Rahman to Fakhar Zaman, Nicely bowled! Mustafizur Rahman takes pace off, full and on middle, Fakhar Zaman comes down the track but yorks himself and jams it towards mid on for a run.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, Not in control! Goes fuller and around off, shaping away. Salman Agha uses his feet to go over covers but ends up slicing it towards deep point for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to Salman Agha, Mustafizur Rahman hits the length hard from over the wicket, on middle, angling away, Salman Agha rides the bounce and dabs it to point.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Fakhar Zaman, Back of a length, on a tight line, Fakhar stabs it off the back foot to the bowler.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Fakhar Zaman, Pace off, on a nagging length, on the fifth stump line. Fakhar Zaman swings his bat in January and the ball arrives in December. Gets beaten all ends up by pace.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Salman Agha, Had to hurry! Nips in from off, on a good length. Agha hangs back and steers it to the right of mid-wicket and calls Fakhar for a single. The fielder is quick to get on the ball and throws in a motion towards the bowling end, but misses his shy and that allows Agha to get home.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Fakhar Zaman, Back of a length, on top of the stumps, Fakhar flat bats it wide of mid on for a single.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR! Gets it through! Short from Sakib, on the bodyline. Fakhar Zaman looks to heave it across, but gets off the inner half of the bat and the ball runs to the right of short fine for a boundary.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib to Fakhar Zaman, Back of a length, outside off, punched off the back foot to cover-point.

Change? Yes, Tanzim Hasan Sakib replaces Taskin Ahmed.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, FOUR! SMASHED! Length ball from Hasan, on middle. Salman Agha picks the length in a trice and shimmies down the track. Swings through the line and lofts it over mid off for a boundary.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, On a length, sliding into the batter. Fakhar Zaman again charges down the track and tries to work it down the ground, but gets an inside egde and the ball rolls wide of mid on for a single.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, Slows it up, does Mahedi. Full and tossed up, on middle. Fakhar Zaman shuffles across to the leg side, and shapes to sweep it away, but gets an inside edge and wears on the front pad.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, In-drifter at 95.4 kph, full and on the leg stump. Fakhar Zaman tries to clip that away, but wears on the pads.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Full and at 96.7 kph, on middle and leg. Agha pushes it to wide mid-wicket for a single.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Flat and quick, on a length, around off. Salman Agha dances down the track and ends up tapping it to the point region.

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, Seeing Fakhar backing away, Taskin throws it wide outside off, on a length. Fakhar Zaman tries to slash it away but misses to lay his bat on ball.

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, EDGED, FOUR! Back of a length, angling in from off. Fakhar Zaman charges down the track and tries to heave it over the leg side, but loses his shape completely and gets an inside edge as the ball bounces past the leg stump and runs behind to the deep fine leg fence.

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, Hits the deck hard, does Ahmed, outside off. Fakhar Zaman plays from the crease and dabs it to backward point. Four dots on the trot from Taskin in this over!

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, Hard length, skidding through, outside off. Fakhar Zaman shapes to cut it square on the off side, but gets a bottom edge and the ball dribbles behind to the keeper.

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, Short and on middle and leg. Fakhar Zaman gets right behind it and blocks it back to the bowler.

Taskin Ahmed to Fakhar Zaman, Fuller and around off, worked to the left of cover.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, An absolute jaffa from Mahedi! This is flat and full, just outside the off stump line. It lands but goes straight on, and Salman Agha plays for the ball to spin into him and looks to clip it to the leg side. Is beaten on the outside edge by a kitten-whisker. Top-class start from Bangladesh with the ball.

Mahedi Hasan to Salman Agha, Length, on the stumps, drifting into the batter. Salman nudges it with soft hands to mid-wicket.

Talk about making a difference. Bangladesh brought in both Taskin Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan for this game, and they have delivered with a wicket each in the first two overs of this game. Also, skipper Salman Agha comes out to the middle with Pakistan in early trouble.

Mahedi Hasan to Saim Ayub, OUT! GONE! CAUGHT! 4th duck for Saim Ayub in this Asia Cup and the Bangladeshi players are all charged up! Mahedi comes from around the stumps, and dishes out a fuller delivery and lands this in front of the sticks, offering some flight as well. Saim Ayub shapes to slog it over the in-field, but hits off the inner half of the bat. The ball travels straight and flat towards mid on where Rishad Hossain takes a simple catch. Saim Ayub departs for a three-baller and Pakistan are in all sorts of trouble. They are 5/2.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, Fuller than a length, on the stumps, Fakhar steps down the ground and drills it down to long on for a single.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, Length, around off and middle. Fakhar Zaman dances down the track and shanks it to the off side.

Mahedi Hasan to Fakhar Zaman, A big appeal for LBW, but clearly sliding down the leg stump line. Mahedi Hasan begins with a slip in place and comes from around the stumps. Drifts the ball into the batter, on the leg stump line, full in length. Fakhar Zaman plays all over it and is beaten on the inside edge as he tries to work that across to the leg side. The ball raps his front pad.

Time for spin already as Mahedi Hasan will bowl from the other end.

Taskin Ahmed to Saim Ayub, Full and just outside off, at pace, Ayub works it straight to mid off. A very successful over from Taskin. A huge wicket of Farhan and just 4 off it.

Taskin Ahmed to Saim Ayub, Hard length, on top of middle, tailing in a bit. Saim hangs back and bunts it down the pitch.

Saim Ayub walks out to bat at number 3.

Taskin Ahmed to Sahibzada Farhan, OUT! GONE! CAUGHT! Taskin Ahmed draws first blood and provides the first wicket for Bangladesh! 100 T20I WICKETS FOR TASKIN! Goes fuller, outside off, gently shaping away. It lands and then kicks up a bit off the deck as well. Sahibzada Farhan throws his bat by extending his arms wide open, but due to that extra bounce, the ball gets sliced off the blade and goes flat and straight toward Rishad Hossain at point. Rishad takes a fine catch around his waist height. Sahibzada Farhan departs for 4 (4) and Pakistan are 4/1.

Taskin Ahmed to Sahibzada Farhan, FOUR! And he is off the mark in style! Taskin slams the deck hard, around off, with not much movement this time around. Sahibzada Farhan stands tall and punches it between cover and point for a cracking boundary!

Taskin Ahmed to Sahibzada Farhan, On a back of a length, shaping away from off. Sahibzada Farhan punches off the back foot to short cover.

Taskin Ahmed to Sahibzada Farhan, Taskin is on the money! Just a tinge of an away shape, full and around off, Sahibzada Farhan prods forward and firmly drives it away, but straight to mid off.

All in readiness now! It's the battle of green here in Dubai, and the fans from both sides have come out in numbers to support them. The tension is palpable as this is a virtual knockout for a place in the Asia Cup final. We can see the Bangladesh players make their way out to the middle with a huge roar from the crowd as they take up their respective field positions. Out comes the Pakistani openers – Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. The new ball is in the hands of Taskin Ahmed, who is raring to go. Let's play…

We are moments away from this crucial encounter, but before that, the match officials walk out to the middle, and the on-field umpire collects the match ball. Now, the players from both sides come out and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be Bangladesh's first, followed by the national anthem of Pakistan.

PITCH REPORT – Waqar Younis and Simon Doull are pitchside with their analysis. Waqar first highlights that chasing has been easy in Dubai and admires the work done by the ground staff. Doull then joins him and observes some nice covering of grass and reckons that there might be enough movement for the seamers early on. Also points out that there was turn in the last game, but he thinks that the teams didn't play against spinners well. Waqar notes that the weather has changed a bit and points out that there is a bit of moisture in the air as well. Doull then mentions that there might also be a bit of turn as the game goes on. Ends by saying that batting inside the Powerplay is going to be very crucial, and the teams would aim to not lose many wickets in that early phase.

Pakistan (Unchanged Playing XI) – Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (C), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

Bangladesh (Playing XI) – Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali (C/WK), Rishad Hossain, Nurul Hasan (In place of Tanzid Hasan), Mahedi Hasan (In place of Nasum Ahmed), Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed (In place of Mohammad Saifuddin), Mustafizur Rahman.

Salman Agha, the skipper of Pakistan, says they wanted to bat first, so it's fine. Adds that the wicket looks good and they have been batting well. Tells that whenever they have scored over 150, the bowlers have mostly managed to defend it. Mentions that beating Sri Lanka is always a good thing, as they are one of the best sides in Asia. Says that it is important to play in any final and that is something in the back of their minds. Ends by saying that if they play good cricket, they will progress. Informs that they are unchanged.

The stand-in captain of Bangladesh, Jaker Ali, says that it looks like a pretty dry wicket and shares that they have been doing pretty well while bowling first and hence they are going with that strategy. Stresses on batting well in this match and adds that the mindset in the camp is about playing for the championship. Informs that they have three changes in the playing XI.

TOSS – Still no Litton Das for Bangladesh as Jaker Ali walks out for the toss. The coin lands in favour of him and Bangladesh have elected to BOWL first.

Right, what can we expect in Dubai? The pitches have been slow and tricky, holding up just enough to keep batters guessing, who will need more patience than a Netflix buffer. Toss? Win it, and most captains have preferred chasing here. Key battles? Shaheen vs Litton up front – it’s fire vs elegance. Haris Rauf vs Saif Hassan – pace vs form. Mustafizur vs Fakhar – cutters vs wild swings. And don’t forget Mohammad Nawaz, as if he bowls, his match-up against Jaker Ali or Tawhid Hridoy could tilt things. Strap in, folks, because this one has all the ingredients of a final before the final. With all that to keep, stick around for the toss and team lineups!

Meanwhile, who do we have on the flip side? Bangladesh! What about them? Oh, they’re the wild card you don’t want to face, as they’re a young side who are hungry and unpredictable. Saif Hassan has hit back-to-back fifties and will again be their batting pillar, while Litton Das, if fit, adds much-needed stability at the top. Parvez Hossain Emon can hit sixes that leave bowlers traumatised, which their power-hitting coach Julian Wood has tried to instil in them, and Tawhid Hridoy has shown glimpses of promise in the middle order. Bowling is their bigger strength, where Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and possibly Taskin Ahmed make a deadly pace trio, while Rishad Hossain has been a revelation with the ball. But the worry? Their batting sometimes collapses faster than a house of cards, like the one against India last night. If their young lineup stands tall, Bangladesh can absolutely push Pakistan out of the tournament.

So, hmm…Pakistan, what do they want? Less chaos, more calm, meaning – stability with the bat and smarter use of their resources. Against Sri Lanka, they slipped to 80/5 before Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz bailed them out with calm heads. Shaheen Afridi is back in rhythm with early wickets, while Haris Rauf continues to be their hit-the-deck enforcer. But the million-dollar mystery question? Why hasn’t Nawaz bowled a single over in Pakistan’s last two games despite being called ‘the best spinner in the world’ by their coach? It’s like making tea without sugar, if you know, you know. With Sahibzada Farhan already striking two fifties in just three outings against Bangladesh and Fakhar Zaman regaining touch, Pakistan’s batting power is there. What they need is clarity, and maybe, just maybe, a few overs from Nawaz!

What’s at stake today? A spot in the Asia Cup final! Pakistan face Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in a virtual semi-final, as the winner will take the ticket, while the loser will pack their bags. Both sides have already been beaten by India, and the winner tonight joins them in the summit clash. Head-to-head in T20Is, Pakistan have dominated with a record of 20-5, but Bangladesh did beat Pakistan 2-1 in July 2025, while Pakistan swept them 3-0 at home earlier this year. It’s been cat-and-mouse all year, and the rivalry is as tight as it gets. Hence, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the script is perfectly set. On that note, hello and welcome to this blockbuster clash from Dubai.

… MATCH DAY …

The Asia Cup 2025 is at its crunch stage and every game now has the power to decide who stays in the hunt for the trophy. The Super 4 has already delivered a lot of spicy moments, and Dubai is all set for another high-voltage clash as Bangladesh take on Pakistan. Pakistan are sitting second on the table with one win and one loss. This is their final shot. A win will make their chances into the final stronger, but still, that qualification will not be confirmed. A loss will throw the group wide open. Bangladesh started their campaign with a strong win against Sri Lanka, and for them too, victory is the only way forward if they want to keep their dream alive. For Pakistan, the ride so far has been bumpy. They were outplayed by India in their opening Super 4 game, but when the pressure was at its peak, they found their spark against Sri Lanka. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf came in with raw pace and fire, ripping through the batting order. That has always been Pakistan’s biggest card. If Shaheen nails it with the new ball, the rest of the attack feeds off the energy. If he misses, the pressure quickly shifts to the others. Against Sri Lanka, though, things clicked. Their Powerplay bowling, which has often been shaky, looked tight and effective. It also marked the first time in this tournament that they bowled first, and that move turned out to be a game-changer. Batting still feels like Pakistan’s biggest puzzle to solve. The tweak at the top has helped, with Fakhar Zaman joining Sahibzada Farhan to open, and the duo delivering back-to-back strong starts. But once the platform is set, the middle order keeps letting the momentum slip away. The story has been the same in the middle overs, where wickets fall in clusters and pressure builds. Even in the last game against Sri Lanka, Pakistan went from a comfortable 45 for no loss to a shaky 80 for five. Their depth rescued them on that occasion, and the target was not too high, but that escape route will not always be there. On Dubai pitches, chasing anything over 160 or 170 will demand a proper team effort with the bat. Skipper Salman Agha has also been struggling, with just 45 runs in the tournament so far. Add to that their glaring weakness against spin, and it becomes even more concerning. The collapse against India came through spin, and the same happened against Sri Lanka, where the majority of wickets fell in the middle overs. This is the danger zone that Bangladesh will look to exploit with Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed leading the spin attack. Against Pakistan in T20Is, it is actually Bangladesh’s pacers who have done the most damage. Taskin Ahmed has been a consistent threat, while Mustafizur Rahman has not only dominated this match-up but has also been their best bowler in the ongoing Asia Cup. On the batting front, Litton Das stands tall. The skipper has piled up 227 runs against Pakistan in T20Is, making him the leading run-getter in the current Bangladesh squad. In this tournament, Tawhid Hridoy has been a major boost for Bangladesh with the bat, stepping up when it mattered most. Also, the move to bring in Saif Hassan at the top has also added some much-needed stability to their lineup. This will actually be the seventh time these two sides have faced each other this year. Pakistan hold the edge in the recent battles with a 4-2 lead, and the overall record speaks even louder with Pakistan dominating the rivalry 20-5. Against this opponent, Bangladesh have never chased anything beyond 150 in T20Is. Their highest successful chase is just 142, which was way back in 2015, and that says a lot about how strongly Pakistan have ruled this rivalry. Pride, desperation, aggression, and pure determination – all of it will be on display in this clash. With everything on the line, the stage is set for nothing less than a blockbuster at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where these two sides will play against each other for the first time ever.