Kathmandu, Sept 26.
Pakistan has secured a place in the highly anticipated final of the Asia Cup Cricket 2025. In Thursday night’s final Super Four match, Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 11 runs, setting up a title clash against India. This will mark the third meeting between India and Pakistan in the tournament, following Pakistan’s losses to India in both the group stage and Super Four stage. The upcoming final presents Pakistan not only with a chance to claim the trophy but also to avenge their previous defeats against India.
Pakistan’s Resilient Batting
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first at Dhaka, Pakistan scored 135 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Muhammad Haris was the top scorer with 31 runs, while Mohammad Nawaz contributed a useful 25 runs. Salman Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi added 19 runs each, and Fahim Ashraf remained unbeaten on 14. Opener Fakhar Zaman was dismissed for 13.
Among Bangladesh’s bowlers, Taskin Ahmed was impressive, taking 3 wickets. Mehidy Hasan and Rishad Hossain claimed 2 wickets each, while Mustafizur Rahman took 1 wicket.
Bangladesh’s Chase Falls Short
Chasing 136, Bangladesh managed 124 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs. Shamim Hossain top-scored with 30 runs. Saif Hasan made 18, while Nurul Hasan Sohan and Rishad Hossain scored 16 each. Mehidy Hasan added 11 and Tanzim Saqib 10 runs.
Pakistan’s bowlers applied pressure from the start. Shaheen Shah Afridi played a decisive role, taking 3 wickets for just 17 runs in 4 overs. Haris Rauf also picked up 3 wickets for 33 runs, while Syed Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz took 2 and 1 wickets respectively.
Final Showdown: India vs Pakistan
With this victory, Pakistan has set the stage for a final against India. Despite India winning both earlier encounters, Pakistan is expected to enter the final at full strength.
For cricket fans, the India-Pakistan final is more than just a fight for the trophy—it is an emotionally charged battle. Both teams are certain to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory.