Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Super Fours, 17th Match (A2 v B2) - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Pretty sure fans in both India and Pakistan will be overjoyed at getting the dream final but Bangladesh had a real chance to prevent that happening tonight. They fluffed their lines and Sunday is going to be massive. Before that we have the small matter of India vs Sri Lanka tomorrow. A chance for both teams to test their combinations as there's nothing riding on that game. We though will be there to bring you every detail, every moment right in front of you. That's our job. Do join us for that one then. Till then it's goodbye and ta, ta from everyone from here at Cricbuzz Towers. Good night!

Salman Ali Agha: If you win these kind of games, then we must be a special team. Everyone played really well. There is some improvement needed in batting. But we will work on that. Shaheen is a special player. He does what the team needs of him. Very happy for him. We were 15 runs short. The way we bowled up front, we will create pressure. We bowled well with the new ball. More often that not you will win games if you bowl like this. We have been fielding well. Shane has been working hard on us. We have been having extra sessions. Mike Hesson said if you can't field, you won't be in the team. We are a good enough team to beat anyone. We will come back on Sunday and try and do that.

Jaker Ali: As a batting unit, last two games we lost it. We did good work with the bowling unit. Yesterday also the batting cost us the game. I tried to take those chances. I tried to adjust to the captaincy. Our bowlers Rishad and then Saif with the bat. Unfortunately, we didn't support Saif much.

Shaheen Afridi, Player of the Match: I will dedicate this award to my beautiful wife and son who are here. You need early breakthroughs. Those three overs made the difference in the powerplay. I was working on the slower ball. It came out well in the main time. Team decided I will go with Nawaz and Faheem behind me. I got two sixes and that gave us the momentum.

Stats by Shashikant Singh

Lowest total successfully defended in T20 Asia Cup
129/8 - SL vs UAE, Mirpur, 2016
133/8 - BAN vs UAE, Mirpur, 2016
135/8 - PAK vs BAN, Dubai, 2025*
146/9 - PAK vs UAE, Dubai, 2025
147/7 - BAN vs SL, Mirpur, 2016

Lowest total successfully defended by Pakistan (T20I)
122/6 vs SL, Hambantota, 2012
132 vs WI, Port of Spain, 2017
134/8 vs NZ, Christchurch, 2024
135/8 vs BAN, Dubai, 2025*
135/7 vs BAN, Mirpur, 2011

- 135 runs is the lowest target a team has defended in Dubai in T20Is between two full-member sides. The previous lowest was 144 runs by New Zealand against Pakistan in 2018.

Pakistan spinners in this Asia Cup 2025
Wickets: 18 — (2nd most after IND)
Avg: 19.66 — (2nd best after IND)
SR: 19.5 — (3rd best after IND & BAN)
ER: 6.05 — (2nd best after IND)
Dot%: 43.7% — (2nd most after IND)

Pakistan pacers in this Asia Cup 2025
Wickets: 23
Avg: 15.26
SR: 13.2
ER: 6.92
Dot%: 48.0%

Haris Rauf in Asia Cup 2025
140-plus kmph: 6/49, 49 balls, ER: 6.00
Under 140 kmph: 3/66, 39 balls, ER: 10.15

22:28 Local Time, 18:28 GMT, 23:58 IST: Read this multiple times and don't wipe your eyes in disbelief, this is true - India and Pakistan will be playing in the Asia Cup finals for the first time in 17 editions. That stat courtesy of our man Shashikant Singh. The previous lowest T20I score that was defended successfully by Pakistan against Bangladesh was 135 and they have done it again in a virtual semi-final. Shaheen Shah set the tone with Emon's wicket and then he followed it up with Hridoy's wicket. Batters came and went as they looked for the release shot. Only Shamim looked in control and was the dangerman for Pakistan but Shaheen came back and got him out with a back of the hand slower-ball. Rauf looked like he had done his ankle but after receiving treatment from the physio got up and took 2 wickets in the same over to all but end the game. The spinners Abrar, Saim and Nawaz did their job in the middle-overs as they built the pressure and despite a couple of lapses in the field, Pakistan took their catches. They held their nerve while Bangladesh lost theirs. The total was not difficult to chase but the pressure got to Bangladesh and they succumbed. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

Haris Rauf to Rishad Hossain, no run, there it is folks - the much anticipated India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup is going to happen and just what every cricket lover wanted. Get ready for it then. Full and pace on outside off, Rishad Hossain drives and misses, a dot and Haris Rauf leaps in the air to punch in celebration and then looks heavenwards to say a prayer or two. Pakistan win by 11 and go on to face India on Sunday

Haris Rauf to Rishad Hossain, no run, look at Agha's reaction at long-off. He fields this and runs to Nawaz at long-on and hugs him. Before that a big roar in celebration. A low full-toss on off, totally miscued and it lands well short of Agha at long-off, Litton wears a sorry look on his face

Haris Rauf to Rishad Hossain, SIX, there's still life in this game. Another slower-ball off-cutter and Rishad Hossain comes down the track and takes it from there, lofts well and that flies over long-on's head, such sweet connection

18 off 3. Pakistan just need one good ball.

Haris Rauf to Rishad Hossain, no run, back to the slower-ball off-cutter and it flies over off and middle. Goes wide of the crease and bowls it on a length, Rishad Hossain slogs and misses

Haris Rauf to Rishad Hossain, FOUR, Bangladesh alive still. Just. Length on middle, pacy delivery, Rishad Hossain makes room and bludgeons it wide of mid-off, that was right off the middle, races away

22 off 5. For Bangladesh - the right man is on strike.

Haris Rauf to Mustafizur, byes, 1 run, Mohammad Haris fumbles and allows a bye. A pacy short of length delivery and at the body of Mustafizur who makes room to glide, misses, flies over the top-edge and Haris fumbles

23 off 6. Rauf to bowl.

Faheem Ashraf to Rishad Hossain, no run, a slower-ball off-cutter again, full and just inside the tramline outside off, Rishad Hossain looks for a push and run but is beaten, Mohammad Haris prevents the bye

Faheem Ashraf to Mustafizur, 1 run, dropped by Nawaz at long-on. A slower-ball off-cutter and into the pitch just outside off, Mustafizur toe-ends the pull and it's a simple catch to Nawaz who shells it, even had a go at the rebound but missed it

Faheem Ashraf to Mustafizur, FOUR, sliced over backward point and four. Mustafizur saw the slight width outside off, threw the bat and he sliced it, no-one at sweeper cover or deep backward point and both Agha and Hesson are not happy. The skipper gestures as if to suggest to listen to him, while the coach shakes his head

Faheem Ashraf to Rishad Hossain, 1 run, this time he takes the run. On a good length and off-pace outside off, Rishad Hossain swings it to long-on

Faheem Ashraf to Rishad Hossain, no run, understandably Rishad Hossain doesn't take the single. On a length outside off, hit straight to the fielder at long-off