There it is! The turnaround is complete! Pakistan haul themselves back from the brink to swarm over Bangladesh, and set up a date with India in the final of the Asia Cup! Searing full and wide delivery. Rishad throws the kitchen sink at it but only grabs a handful of fresh air. Pakistan celebrate, as do the thousands of Pakistan fans that have turned up in Dubai. They were down one minute, but they jumped back up, and they are now within a game of winning the entire thing!
Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 17th Match, Super Fours at Dubai, Asia Cup, Sep 25 2025 - Match Result
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10:50pm And that will be a wrap for tonight. We have one more Super Four fixture left before the big final on Sunday, and we will be back tomorrow as India take on Sri Lanka. Until then, from all of us here at ESPNcricinfo, it is goodbye!
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Player of the Match: I want to dedicate this (award) to my beautiful wife and son. Early on, as a team, we need breakthroughs and I go for that. In a small total, you need early breakthroughs and we planned that. Three overs in the powerplay - that is the difference. (On the Shamim wicket and if he received advice from the dugout) No, no. I was working on this delivery and good that in the main time, I delivered. We needed that wicket and we did it. (On his batting) After early wickets, team decided (to let me go) and take on bowlers. Those sixes turned momentum to our end. (On the final against India) We are ready.
Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan captain: If you can win these kinds of games, you must be a special team. Everyone chipped in. the way Shaheen bowled and the way Haris bowled up front, it was special. We are finding ways to win. There are ways to improve but we will be better in the final. (On Mohammad Haris) He is a special player. He is not batting in his number. He never moaned. He said whatever the team needs, he will do it. He is contributing every single game and I am very happy. We were 10-15 runs short - no way I am going to deny that. If we bowl the way we did up front, we will create pressure. When you create pressure up front, it is tough to chase it down. Bowled well with the new ball and once you bowl like this with the new ball, you win more often. We have been fielding really well. Since Shane came, we have been working really hard. Mike, our coach said whoever cannot field, cannot be in the team - so everyone is working very hard with Shane and I am happy with how everyone is fielding. (On the final against India) Very excited. We know what we need to do, and we are a good enough team to beat anyone, and we will come on Sunday and try to beat them.
Jaker Ali, Bangladesh captain: As a batting unit, last two matches, we lose. As a bowling unit, we do very good work, the boys are doing really well. Yesterday also, the batting (cost us the match) and today as well. (On his captaincy experience) Bit tough, but I tried to take those chances and take my game, and try to adjust to the captaincy and enjoy it. (Players who did him proud) Our bowlers, Rishad and Saif. As a batter, Saif, throughout the tournament, has played very well but unfortunately, we did not give him support. As a bowling unit, we did really well (in this tournament).
10:27pm Phew. What a game that was. The quality of cricket was not one of the best you will ever see, but there was so much drama. Pakistan seemed out of it at the half-way stage, but like most things Pakistan, that was only their way of taking the longer route to get where they wanted to be when this match started. Shaheen rattled Bangladesh's top order as much as Bangladesh's top order rattled themselves and from there, it was a long road back for Bangladesh.
Shamim tried to keep things intact for Bangladesh, scoring at a fair clip and also marshaling the middle overs well. But once he fell to Shaheen, the floodgates opened and Bangladesh crashed to their fate rather briskly. Most of Bangladesh's shot selection, it must be noted, was pretty ordinary and given how many their chasing, that is what will hurt them most, even if Pakistan bowled their hearts out and did everything possible to craft a path to the final.
full toss just outside off, but Rishad cannot make it count! Pakistan can feel it now! This, to be perfectly honest, is there to be hit. But Rishad tries to hit it too hard and scuffs it. Bobbles towards long off and barring any extras, this should be it for Bangladesh at this Asia Cup!
12 off 2. Two sixes or bust for Bangladesh now
six number one! Oh my word! Another cutter bowled into the track outside off. Rishad spots it early enough, though, and he marches down the track to thump this over long on!
18 off 3. Three sixes or bust for Bangladesh
off-pace on a back of a length just outside off. Rishad has an agricultural swipe across the line and misses it completely. Lucky to see his stumps intact too
18 off 4. Bangladesh still alive (albeit barely)
oh, hello! Length ball just outside off. Rishad gives himself enough swinging room and bludgeons it back past the bowler. Powerful shot!
If anything is to happen for Bangladesh, it has to happen now
hard length, angling into middle and leg. Mustafizur dabs at it and misses. Too hot to handle for Haris as well, and Rishad gets back on strike
Rauf to bowl the last over. Around the wicket. 23 needed still
slower ball hung up on a length wide outside off. Rishad goes nibbling at it, perhaps trying to pinch a run but fails to lay bat on ball. Dot to finish the 19th
dropped - oh dear! Slower ball dug into the track on leg stump. Mustafizur swipes at it with everything he has and shanks it horribly. Nawaz runs in from long on, settles under it and then shells a very regulation chance. Surely this will not come back to haunt Pakistan?
Mustafizur joins in on the fun now! Pace-on, back of a length outside off. Mustafizur swishes at it without a care in the world and knifes it over backward point!
another change-up by the looks of it. Rishad swings at it with all his might but only drags it into the leg side. Takes the single on this occasion
short and wide outside off. Rishad winds up and flat-bats it towards long off. Says no to the single as well
more streaky runs! Slower ball hung up on a length wide outside off. Rishad has an ungainly mow across the line and the ball loops off the outside edge over the keeper's head!
Bangladesh need 33 and a miracle from here to prevent an India-Pakistan final. Faheem to bowl
Anas: "You count PAK's bowling out at your own peril!!! So many times now they have bailed their batters out."
back of a length just outside off. Rishad hangs back and drops it into the off side to retain strike
zipped in very full on middle and off. Mustafizur, standing very deep in his crease, dangles his bat and squirts it off the outside edge towards deep third
Mustafizur is the last batter in. Rauf goes around the wicket
timmbbberrrr again, and Rauf is in a hurry to wrap this up now! Back of a length on middle and leg. Taskin backs away and swings for the hills. Gets nowhere close to the ball, and this time, he is beaten for pace. The ball whistles past his flailing blade and he hears the death rattle soon after. Pakistan are almost there!
streaky but guess what, they all count! Hard length, jamming Taskin up for room just outside leg. Taskin has a fend at it and the ball spoons off the leading edge over the keeper's head!
Taskin in at 10
does him all ends up, and Rauf is off on a celebratory run! This is beautifully-disguised. Bowled at a tick over 120kph and Tanzim has no clue about this off-cuter. He has designs to smash this into next week but is incredibly early into the stroke. Misses the ball by a distance and the ball thunders into the top of off stump!
Rauf has still not gotten up and is still receiving treatment. The umpires are now having a word with those who have congregated around Rauf, trying to hurry things up. Rauf immediately gets up and starts walking back to his mark. Not entirely sure what the issue was - if it was cramp or something a little more muscular - but we are good to go again
Rauf often falls over in his follow-through, but this could be a little serious, although the stretching the physio is indulging in does suggest this could be cramp. Rauf, remember, has two overs left including this one and if he cannot take further part in this game, that could be another twist in this manic game
sharp short ball just outside off, and this skips off the surface. Tanzim has a massive swipe across the line and the ball whistles past his blade. Rauf ends up on the deck and he is taking a while to get up
39 off 18 and this is most definitely Pakistan's game to lose now. Rauf to bowl the 18th
low full toss speared in just outside off. Rishad hangs back and does just enough to keep it out
Rishad in at 9
oh goodness gracious me - what have you done, Shamim Hossain?! This is a slower ball banged into the track outside off. Shamim pre-meditates the reverse lap, only to realize, to his horror, that he has absolutely no pace to work with. Does not change his shot either and all he does is chalk it off the toe-end to Talat at backward point, who scoops down low and gobbles it up. Shamim cannot believe what he has done. Thousands of Bangladesh fans cannot either, and this could be a very, very big moment in the game!
Seven off the over already. Another boundary will make this a very handy over
1W | ||||
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1W |
1W | ||||
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Dubai International Cricket Stadium | |
Toss | Bangladesh, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2025 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match number | T20I no. 3471 |
Hours of play (local time) | 18.30 start, First Session 18.30-20.00, Interval 20.00-20.20, Second Session 20.20-21.50 |
Match days | 25 September 2025 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Pakistan 2, Bangladesh 0 |
Over 20 • BAN 124/9
Pakistan won by 11 runs