Asia Cup: Bangladesh thrash Pakistan; face India in final

Bangladesh quelled the demons within to surpass Pakistan’s modest total and ensure its first T20I final entry, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday. Bangladesh will face India on March 6 in the finals.

Shahid Afridi would have been expecting the Pakistan batsmen to come out firing after he won the toss and elected to bat first in a crucial game, but the top order failed again to put them in the mire. Pakistan, in one last attempt to turn the tide, brought back Mohammad Amir. Shakib Al Hasan and Amir will be the key players for either side with the ball. On the other hand, Pakistan’s batting has been woeful in the first game against India, where they were shot out for a meagre 83 while UAE also gave them a scare blowing away the top order for only 17 runs. There were a few close shaves – ball landing short of the fielders, a couple of inside edges and a leg before appeal being turned down – but the second-wicket pair endured the testing period and helped Bangladesh make good progress.

Sabbir fell to Shahid Afridi in the ninth over, missing a charge completely to be bowled. Mustafizur’s variations would have no doubt troubled the Pakistan batting line-up, which has looked shaky despite their seven wicket win against United Arab Emirates the other day.

It was yet another disastrous start by the Pakistanis, who were reduced to 28 for four but Sarfraz along with Shoaib Malik (41) repaired the damage.

3 – This is the 3rd time Bangladesh have made into finals of a tournament.

Malik hit a stroke-filled 35 off 27 balls that contained four fours and a six while Sarfaraz, who batted with objective, scored an unbeaten 58 off 42 balls with five fours and two sixes.

3/25 – Al-Amin Hossain’s 3/25 is now the best bowling figures for a Bangladeshi against Pakistan in T20Is and the joint 2nd best in Pakistan-Bangladesh T20Is.

Pakistan’s victory will depend a lot on their bowling attack, particularly Mohammad Amir who bowled fiery spells against India and UAE in the last two matches of Asia Cup.

BangladeshImrul Kayes, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abu Hider, Arafat Sunny, Mohammad Mithun, Nurul Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Al-Amin Hossain.