In a contest brimming with the unpredictable drama that often defines Pakistan’s cricket performances, their thrilling 11-run victory over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup semi-final on Thursday was a classic example. What began with palpable anxiety due to a ‘diabolically dysfunctional’ batting display, quickly transformed into triumph. Spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi’s electrifying 3-wicket spell for just 17 runs, the bowlers rallied heroically, securing a rousing win. This sets the stage for a monumental first-ever Asia Cup final between cricketing giants India and Pakistan in the tournament’s 41-year history, further intensifying an already fiery rivalry.
Just last Sunday, Salman Agha’s squad faced a daunting challenge after their second defeat to India in this tournament, making their chances of reaching the title clash appear dim. The situation looked even bleaker when they slumped to 49 for four after 10.5 overs against Bangladesh, seemingly extinguishing any remaining hope. Yet, fueled by an extraordinary team effort – and perhaps aided by Bangladesh’s somewhat ‘inept’ batting – they staged a remarkable comeback to secure their spot.
“We were far from perfect, we realised that in the first 10 overs. But there’s a huge amount of character in this group,” Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson reflected in the post-match press conference.
To overcome an Indian side that has dominated their last seven white-ball encounters, Pakistan cannot afford any more slip-ups in the grand finale. Hesson elaborated on their strategy: “The way we played against India in the last match was a huge step-up from the first game. It took an exceptional innings from Abhishek Sharma to take the game away from us. Outside of that, we were pretty good. We have to be good enough to be able to put India under pressure for long enough. We have to do it for longer because India is rated the top side in the world. You have to put them under pressure,” the Kiwi coach observed.