Pakistan has reached the final of the Asian Games men’s cricket competition after beating Bangladesh by six wickets in the first semi-final at Korogi Sports Club on Thursday.
A wet outfield cut the match to 13 overs per side. Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan won the toss and chose to field.
Bangladesh got off to a cautious start with Saif Hassan and Tanzi Hasan Tamim putting on 17 runs before Arafat Minhas removed Tamim for seven off five balls in the second over. Saim Ayub then bowled captain Litton Das for two, and Minhas dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon for one, leaving Bangladesh on 21/3.
Towhid Hridoy and Saif Hassan began the recovery with a 24-run stand for the fourth wicket. Sufiyan Muqeem ended it in the seventh over by dismissing Saif, who scored 19 off 17 balls with two sixes and a four.
Hridoy then added 53 runs for the fifth wicket with Mosaddek Hossain. Muqeem dismissed both batters in the penultimate over. Hridoy top-scored with 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes and two fours, while Mosaddek made 11 off 16. Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain finished unbeaten on eight and two, lifting Bangladesh to 111/7.
Muqeem led the Pakistan attack with 3-26 in his three overs. Minhas took two wickets and Ayub took one.
Pakistan, needing 112 to win, lost two wickets early. Farhan fell for one in the first over with six runs on the board. Maaz Sadaqat hit two fours and a six in his seven-ball 15 before Nasum Ahmed dismissed him in the next over.
Ayub kept up the pace and hit Mustafizur Rahman for two sixes and a four. Rahman struck back in the fourth over and dismissed him for 21 off 12 balls.
Usman Khan and Hasan Nawaz added 15 runs for the fourth wicket until Rishad Hossain dismissed Usman on the first ball of the seventh over, with Pakistan on 53/4.
Abdul Samad then joined Nawaz, and the pair turned the chase around with aggressive hitting. Samad scored an unbeaten 30 off 15 balls with five fours and a six, and Nawaz finished on 27 not out from 22 balls. Pakistan won with one over and three balls to spare.
Mahedi Hasan, Rahman, Rishad Hossain and Ahmed took one wicket each for Bangladesh.
Pakistan will face either India or Sri Lanka in the final, depending on who wins the second semi-final today, with the final scheduled for October 3.
