Dubai (SBR): Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed three wickets and hit a brisk 19 off 13 balls, while Haris Rauf claimed a three-fer as Pakistan defended 135 to beat Bangladesh by 11 runs in the ACC T20 Asia Cup Super-Four game at Dubai International Stadium on Thursday night and set up a final against India on Sunday.
The pace duo of Shaheen and Haris returned combined figures of 6-50 in their eight overs as Pakistan defended their joint-second lowest T20I total against Bangladesh.
Defending the 136-run target, Shaheen provided his side with the perfect start, removing Parvez Hossain Emon for a two-ball duck – his 22nd first-over wicket in T20Is – followed by the scalp of Towhid Hridoy (5) to leave Bangladesh 23-2 in 4.2 overs.
Haris Rauf then eked out the prized scalp of Saif Hassan (18, 15b, 1x4, 2x6s) on the first ball of the sixth over, reducing Bangladesh to 36-3 at the end of the powerplay.
Nawaz sent Mahedi (11) back in the hut on the final delivery of the eighth over as Bangladesh were left reeling on 44-4. Nurul Hasan (16, 21b, 1x6) and Shamim Hossain (30, 25b, 2x6s) then put on 19 runs for the fifth wicket, before the former fell prey to Saim Ayub with Bangladesh requiring another 72 runs from the last eight overs.
Saim, continuing his fine form with the ball, got rid of skipper Jaker Ali (5, 9b) when Nawaz grabbed his third catch of the night in the 14th over, reducing Bangladesh to 73-6.
Shaheen ended Shamim’s 25-ball resistance in the 17th over, while Haris struck twice in the following over as Bangladesh slumped to 101-9.
Haris defended 23 runs in the final over, handing his side the victory. Saim returned figures of 4-0-16-2 taking his tournament tally of wickets to eight.
Earlier, Pakistan were asked to bat first and lost their opening duo within first ten balls of the game with just five runs on the board. Pakistan finished the Powerplay with Fakhar Zaman (13, 20b, 2x4s) and Salman Ali Agha in the middle with the score at 27-2. Fakhar fell in the subsequent over, while Hussain Talat followed him nine balls later.
Trouble deepened for Pakistan when Agha was dismissed with scorecard reading 49-5 in 10.5 overs. Shaheen, at no.7, played a crucial cameo of 13-ball 19 hitting two sixes, before losing his wicket to Taskin in the 14th over with 71 runs on the board.
Mohammad Haris (31, 23b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Nawaz then stitched a 38-run partnership off 24 balls for the seventh wicket to take Pakistan past the 100-run mark.
Bangladesh landed another blow in the 18th over when Pakistan’s top-scorer Haris was caught and bowled by Mahedi. Nawaz (25, 15b, 1x4, 2x6s) then hit Taskin for a maximum off the first delivery of the penultimate over, but was caught at cover on the very next ball.
Faheem Ashraf’s solitary four and three twos in the final over lifted Pakistan to 135-8 in 20 overs. For Bangladesh, Taskin finished with figures of 4-0-28-3. Rishad and Mahedi picked up two wickets apiece.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 11 runs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Pakistan 135-8, 20 overs (Mohammad Haris 31, Mohammad Nawaz 25, Shaheen Shah Afridi 19, Salman Ali Agha 19; Taskin Ahmed 3-28, Rishad Hossain 2-18, Mahedi Hasan 2-28)
Bangladesh 124-9, 20 overs (Shamim Hossain 30, Saif Hassan 18; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-17, Haris Rauf 3-33, Saim Ayub 2-16)
Player of the match – Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
