Amidst all the drama and controversies both on and off the field, the Asia Cup is poised to witness its first-ever India-Pakistan final in its 41-year history.
Following a hard-fought 11-run victory over Bangladesh on Thursday, Pakistan has set up an exciting final clash with India.
This triumph was secured thanks to their formidable bowling attack in the crucial Super Four match, despite their batting lineup once again struggling, managing only 135 for eight.
In what effectively served as a semifinal at the Dubai International Stadium, Bangladesh had a shot at reaching Sunday’s final.
However, their batsmen succumbed to pressure as the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Pakistani bowling unit maintained relentless pressure with their consistent line and wicket-taking deliveries, limiting Bangladesh to 124 for nine.
This marks the first-ever Pakistan-India final in the Asia Cup, which began at the legendary Sharjah Cricket Stadium in 1984.
At one point on Thursday, reaching the final seemed beyond Pakistan’s grasp as they were on the verge of a dismal defeat after Bangladesh bowlers held them to 71 for six by the 14th over.
Yet, Mohammad Haris (31 off 23 balls) and Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15 balls) displayed resilience, battling back to provide their bowlers with a defendable total.
Left-arm pacer Afridi (4-0-17-3) then placed immense pressure on Bangladesh with an exceptional opening spell, dismissing opener Parvez Hossain Emon (0) and number three Towhid Hridoy (5) in his first three overs.
Bangladesh never recovered from these early setbacks, as pacer Haris Rauf (3/33) and spinners Saim Ayub (2/16) and Nawaz (1/14) contributed significantly to secure Pakistan’s victory.
