yorker on leg stump and he can only dig it out into the leg side for a single, Pakistan have taken the title, joy for Pakistan, despair for Bangladesh but they've done themselves proud
Bangladesh vs Pakistan, Final at Dhaka, Mar 22 2012 - Match Result
How crucial was that performance from Sarfraz Ahmed? That's made the difference, and well done to Cheema for keeping his nerve in that final over. Quiet, silent, sombre faces in the Bangladesh dressing room but this has been some tournament for them. Just short by three runs in the end, they walk out to shake hands with the Pakistan team. Will this mark the turning point for Bangladesh in all cricket? They have won the respect of the cricketing world, beating India and Sri Lanka on their way here and giving Pakistan a run for their money twice. Tears in the eyes of Mushfiqur Rahim, the captain and there's Shakib consoling him. Pakistan have won this tournament for the second time.
An excellent tournament this, close matches for the most part and most importantly, an excellent reception from a cricket-mad Bangladeshi crowd. The Pakistan spinners did a splendid job to restrict the hosts, and the wickets of Shakib and Mushfiqur in fairly quick succession giving their team the edge towards the end. The game was very much on till the end; Mashrafe struck some good blows, Razzak tried hard but Pakistan won out the battle of nerves in the end.
The tears are still rolling down the cheeks of the Bangladeshi players, and the fans. Jamshaid says this: "It really makes me sad to watch mushfiq cry but he has no reason to cry, he should look at the bigger picture bangladesh have finally evolved into an amazing and formidable team that are capable of defeating bigger teams." The other key moments were the loss of Tamim and Jahrul in quick succession, and it took a while for Nasir to get going. The spinners did superbly at those stages. It's taking a while for everyone to get themselves under some control, we'll get you the presentation details in just a bit.
Tamim Iqbal gets an award for four fifties on the trot for the man, big cheers from the crowd.
Mushfiqur Rahim: Before the tournament, we had great preparation but the boys stuck to the plans. We played good in the tournament I thought. The wicket is a bit slowish, it's not easy to score runs, Tamim and Shakib played well. We gave away some runs in the last over, that was crucial. It's been a great tournament for Shakib, Tamim, Mashrafe, Razzak and Nasir. We fought in all the games and we achieved a lot in this tournament. Shakib and Tamim were both set batsmen and their wickets were the turning point." Mushfiqur signed off by thanking the crowd for their support in Bangla.
Shakib Al Hasan is the Man of the Tournament: If we look at the overall tournament, we were terrific. The teamwork has been terrific, the way the crowd supported us was fantastic too. Hopefully we'll kick on from here. If I had scored two more runs we would have won the game, we came so close to win the Asia Cup. We'll take the positives from this series and move on from there.
Shahid Afridi is Man of the Match: "Bangladesh really played well, and I worked hard on my bowling. The credit goes to guys like Shakib and Nasir, they really played some good cricket. I tried my level best with the bat. I worked hard."
Some confusion about the awards, just to clarify that Shakib is the Man of the Series and Afridi the Man of the Match for his all-round performance. The Pakistan players walk up to the podium one after another to collect their medals. Tamim got a coolest player of the series award, something along those lines.
Misbah-ul-Haq: "Wonderful victory, well fought by all guys, the youngsters came in and contributed well. Sarfraz's innings was a vital one for us. This wicket was a little different from the other ones, it was slow. We were hoping that around 225-230 would be a fighting a score. The spinners bowled very well, the pacers did well in the end. Bangladesh played wonderfully well, this is really a new Bangladesh team and they are really the winners."
That's all from us, folks. The Pakistan players are all smiles, posing for the cameras now. It's been a riveting final game and many thanks to all of you for tuning in and sending us your feedback. It was a pleasure bringing the game to you and whatever be the result, I hope each of you enjoyed following an absolutely cracking contest. See you soon. Oh, before I sign off, don't forget to read Abhishek Purohit's report for this match, it's getting updated as I type. Cheers!
Shahadat Hossain walks in, he'll just have to swing at it now. 4 needed off 1, this has gone down to the last ball. Remember he conceded 19 off Pakistan's last over, can he make amends with one strike? It all boils down to this ball. Three will tie.
Bowled'im! He had made up his mind to carve that over short fine leg, he was up in the circle, was the slower one, he walked well across but ended up playing it onto the stumps, eight down now, Mahmudullah will not be on strike
Third man and fine leg are both up. 4 off 2 to win
What a mess, three runs, three runs, pitched up outside off, driven towards long-off, a wayward throw towards the striker's end that allows them to complete the second and Sarfraz's attempted flick onto the stumps misses it's mark and it's an overthrow
Some people in the stands can't take the tension. We're struggling ourselves.
missed the slower one, was the legcutter, and Mahmudullah didn't pick that, was into the shot too early, dot ball
7 off 4. Mahmudullah will be waiting for a yorker gone bad, a full toss or a length ball he'll hope. Fine leg has gone back
moved across to work it past short fine, that's the area they'd been looking at, just a leg bye as it knocks his thighs
Mahmudullah ran into the bowler on the attempted second run, the umpire had a word with both. 8 off 5 to win
leading edge, tried to shuffle across and paddle it over short fine, went instead to third man, just the single
So it's come down to the final over in this Asia Cup. Cheema will bowl it, Bangladesh have the man they want on strike. You'd still think it's Bangladesh with 9 off 6 to win. Cheema's not as experienced as the others, can he hold his nerve? No one has left the stadium. Fine leg is up in the circle.
gets a couple, Mahmudullah will take strike the final over, moved away to off and worked it through square leg for a couple, excellent running to make it back
11 to win, 10 to tie. Will Razzak go for it?
he had made up his mind, third man is up and Mahmudullah targeted that area, came forward and smartly steered that but straight to Ajmal there, just the single
made room and he chased him, a yorker, dug out into the leg side for a single
13 from 9, neck and neck
just manages a couple, a fast full toss, squeezes that one past midwicket for a couple of runs
freehit coming up, Gul has bowled a no-ball, he has overstepped at the wrong time, a single to deep midwicket, pressure, pressure
Third man is inside the circle
run-out appeal, drives it off a length to mid-off, Hafeez picks up and scores a direct-hit but Razzak is in, a massive stretch to make it in and he succeeds
yorker on middle, good stuff from Gul, digs it out over the bowler for a single
What an amazing final, just what the tournament needed. Who will Misbah toss the ball to? 19 off 12. Mahmudullah to face. He's got to go for it. There are people praying in the stands. Gul it is.
Ajmal's finished a superb spell, though Mashrafe helped Bangladesh cover some ground that last over.
in the blockhole outside off, digs it out back to the bowler
swing and a miss, tries to send that over long-on, it turns away and beats the bat
Can't say anything from here, 19 off 14 is very much on. A couple of big hits is all it takes. Mahmudullah's still out there and I've seen Abdur Razzak hit some in past
another twist, Mashrafe was trying to be cheeky there, Ajmal went round the stumps and tried to paddle it over short fine, couldn't, Jamshed was placed perfectly there and took a nervous catch falling ahead, effective though
moves back and swats that over extra cover for two more, Azam runs across and cuts it off
wisely played, a single chopped down towards point, Mashrafe's back on strike
three more, superbly fielded by Azam, he ran a mile from long-off and dragged it just in, Mashrafe made room and slapped that over extra cover
25 off 18, Bangladesh still have the edge I think. Ajmal to bowl now.
superbly bowled by Gul but that's an expensive over, yorker and Mahmudullah did well to dig it out, Mashrafe's back on strike for the next over
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | |
Toss | Bangladesh, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2011/12 |
Player Of The Match | |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | Pakistan won the 2011/12 Asia Cup |
Match number | ODI no. 3267 |
Hours of play (local time) | 14.00 start, First Session 14.00-17.30, Interval 17.30-18.15, Second Session 18.15-21.45 |
Match days | 22 March 2012 - daynight (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |