Pakistan down Bangladesh, book maiden Asia Cup final clash with India

Pakistan’s bowlers rose to the occasion when it mattered most, defending a modest 135 to beat Bangladesh by 11 runs in the Super 4s on Thursday, 25 September, and storm into their first-ever Asia Cup final against arch-rivals India.

Bangladesh, chasing 136, faltered despite getting close in the end, finishing at 124 for nine in their 20 overs. The chase was derailed early by Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/17), who struck twice in the powerplay with a fiery opening spell. Haris Rauf (3/23) then dismissed danger-man Saif Hassan (18) after two sixes had given Bangladesh a glimmer of hope, and later cleaned up the tail with raw pace to seal the contest.

The middle overs belonged to Pakistan’s spinners. Off-spinner Saim Ayub (2/16), left-arm orthodox Mohammad Nawaz (1/14) and leggie Abrar Ahmed (0/23) throttled the scoring and tied the batters in knots.

Superb bowling show against Bangladesh seals Pakistan's place in the Asia Cup final 👊#PAKvBAN 📝: https://t.co/M4DkqxaO6f pic.twitter.com/MnFTuj56Fy

— ICC (@ICC) September 25, 2025

Asia Cup: India in final alright, but a few chinks show in the armour

Shamim Hossain (30 off 26) was the only Bangladeshi batter to resist, but his ill-advised reverse shot against Afridi’s slower ball ended their hopes, leaving them 39 short with three overs to go.

Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowlers had impressed once again, exploiting the sluggish Mirpur pitch to keep Pakistan to 135 for eight. Taskin Ahmed (3/28) claimed his 100th T20I wicket when he dismissed Sahibzada Farhan for 4, while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (2/18) and Mustafizur Rahman (1/33) chipped in to dismantle the top order.

Pakistan were wobbling at 50 for five before Mohammad Haris (31 off 23) steadied the innings. Shaheen Afridi (19 off 10) struck two sixes and Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15) provided late impetus, ensuring Pakistan crossed the 125 mark, which eventually proved enough.

For the Asian Cricket Council and broadcasters, the result is a dream scenario. With India and Pakistan now set for their first-ever Asia Cup final meeting amid simmering off-field tensions, anticipation — and viewership— couldn’t be higher.

With PTI inputs