Pakistan’s bowling unit proved their mettle when it mattered the most, defending a modest 135 with all of their might against Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday. They won the Super 4s match by 11 runs, securing their first-ever Asia Cup title match against bitter rivals India.
Given the simmering off-field tension between India and Pakistan, the Asian Cricket Council and the tournament’s official broadcasters would be the happiest, with Bangladesh’s failed chase paving the way for a money-spinning final.
In the end, however, they came very near, scoring 124 for nine in 20 overs.
After Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-17 in 4 overs) produced a brilliant opening spell, taking two wickets in the powerplay, the Bangladeshi batters found every means to be removed, even though the target could have been reached with a little common sense and some appropriate cricketing shots.
None of the other batters showed the will to fight after Haris Rauf (3-23 in 3 overs) dismissed opposing danger-man Saif Hassan (18), who had warmed up with two sixes. Later, Rauf bowled the last two deliveries on spot while maintaining his composure and finished off the tail with a pair of quick deliveries.
The saddest aspect was that the spin troika, which put them on the defensive in the middle overs, was made up of wrist spinner Abrar Ahmed (0-23 in 3 overs), slow left-arm orthodox Mohammed Nawaz (1-14 in 3 overs), and off-break bowler Saim Ayub (2-16 in 4 overs). None of the Bangladeshi batters knew how to play this combination.
Bangladesh had no chance of scoring 39 runs in three overs when Shamim Hossain (30 off 26 balls) produced a terrible flat-batted reverse shot off an Afridi back-of-the-hand slower ball in his final over.
Earlier, a touted Pakistan batting lineup was held to 135 for eight in the winner-take-it-all match, while Bangladesh bowlers performed admirably in humid conditions for the second consecutive day.
As none of the top-order Pakistani batsmen were able to contribute significantly, senior bowlers Mustafizur Rahaman (1-33 in 4 overs), Taskin Ahmed (3-28 in 4 overs), and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (2-18 in 4 overs) made full use of a sticky turner.
Their finest batsman in the competition, Mohammed Haris (31 off 23 balls), kept them in the game once again with a valiant innings. Shaheen Shah Afridi (19) also contributed with a couple of sixes and a fortunate Mohammed Nawaz (25 off 15 balls) after a total of even 100 seemed unlikely.
Rishad Hossain at backward point snapped a rising delivery from Taskin Ahmed after contentious opener Sahibzada Farhan (4) slashed it. In T20 Internationals, Sahibzada was Taskin’s 100th wicket.
Saim Ayub (0), the much-hyped Pakistani youngster, registered his fourth duck after failing to clear mid-on off Mahedi Hasan, who returned figures of 2/28 from four overs.
Even before the number hit fifty, Salman Ali Agha (19), Hussain Talat (3), and Fakhar Zaman (13), were all gone. However, a couple of sixes from Afridi, Haris, and Nawaz, along with a few missed catches, allowed Pakistan to surpass 125 runs.
