Afridi, Rauf and Ayub set up a Pakistan vs India Asia Cup final
Bangladesh succumbed to the pressure of a high-stakes game, losing their way in a chase of only 136
Bangladesh succumbed to the pressure of a high-stakes game, losing their way in a chase of only 136
Scorer: Sudeep Poojar | Commentator: Shashwat Kumar
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.
12 off 2. Two sixes or bust for Bangladesh now
18 off 3. Three sixes or bust for Bangladesh
18 off 4. Bangladesh still alive (albeit barely)
If anything is to happen for Bangladesh, it has to happen now
Rauf to bowl the last over. Around the wicket. 23 needed still
Bangladesh are better at hitting sixes but not at taking singles; their bowling is top-notch but their catching is not; their planning is good, but they need to show more faith in the plans
Pakistan hardly put on a clinic against Bangladesh, but the universe, it seems, can't prevent the contest this competition has been destined for
"When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that's where the game changed," the Bangladesh coach said
Taskin took a three-wicket haul and in the process became the third Bangladeshi man to 100 T20I wickets
Nurul, Mahedi and Taskin replaced Tanzid, Saifuddin and Nasim for Bangladesh