In a thrilling battle in Dubai, Pakistan secured their place in the Asia Cup final by defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs. After this exhilarating victory, Captain Salman Ali Agha voiced a bold statement, asserting that his team has the strength to overcome any opponent, including India.
Now, a monumental clash between India and Pakistan is set for the Asia Cup final on September 28. In essence, Pakistan and India will face off for the third time in this tournament, vying for the Asia Cup 2025 title. Read more about the India-Pakistan Asia Cup final and Bangladesh's shattered hopes.
After the match, Salman expressed, "Winning such matches signifies that we are a special team. Everyone performed splendidly. There is a slight need for improvement in our batting, but we will work on it."
In the Super-4 match, Pakistan set a target of 135 runs for Bangladesh, then restricted them to 124 runs. The bowlers delivered a stunning performance, securing the victory for the team. Read more about why Bangladesh lost to PAK in the Super-4 and the post-match remarks of the captain.
Salman Agha stated, "We know what we need to do. Our team can defeat anyone. We'll take the field on Sunday, aiming to triumph over India."
Shaheen Shah Afridi Shines as Hero of the PAK vs BAN Super-4 Match
Shaheen Shah Afridi emerged as the hero of the PAK vs BAN Super-4 match, showcasing outstanding performances with both bat and ball. The 'Player of the Match' Shaheen scored 19 runs off 13 balls and took 3 wickets, dismantling Bangladesh's batting order. Shaheen remarked, "When the target is small, taking early wickets is crucial, and we planned accordingly. The impact of three overs during the powerplay made all the difference. Bangladesh scored 29 runs and lost 3 wickets in the first 31 balls."
Bangladesh Stand-in Captain Blames Batting for Loss
Filling in for Liton Das, Bangladesh's stand-in captain Zakir Ali attributed the defeat to poor batting performance. He commented that the team's batting let them down in the last two matches, despite the bowling unit's impressive performance, as they lacked support from the batsmen.
