Sufiyan Muqeem picked up three wickets before Pakistan’s batsmen defeated Bangladesh by six wickets. This win sent Pakistan to the Asian Games men’s cricket final.
Chasing 112 runs in 13 overs after the match was reduced in overs due to a wet outfield, Pakistan reached the target for the loss of four wickets with three balls to spare.
Pakistan was dealt a big blow as captain Sahibzada Farhan was bowled out on the first over, with six runs on the board. Maaz Sadaqat briefly redeemed himself by hitting two fours and a six but was soon out for 15 runs off seven balls from Nasum Ahmed.
Saim Ayub then supplied multiple shots to Mustafizur Rehman and hit double sixes and a four. Mustafizur, however, gave a reply to Ayub who was dismissed for 21 runs off 12 balls.
Usman Khan was the next man out after scoring 15 runs as Pakistan were left on 53 runs for four wickets in the seventh over.
The game then shifted gears as Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz put on an unbeaten 69-run stand in 32 deliveries to turn the game around.
Samad took the lead with an unbeaten 30 runs for 15 balls, striking five fours and a six whereas Hasan was not out on 27 runs from 22 balls.
Bangladesh had been dismissed for 111 runs in their 13 overs. Sahibzada Farhan won the toss and the Pakistan side opted to bowl first.
Arafat Minhas got Tanzid Hasan bowled out for seven runs and Saim Ayub struck Litton Das, Bangladesh captain, out for two runs. Minhas then took Parvez Hossain Emon for one, leaving Bangladesh at 21 runs for three wickets.
Towhid Hridoy and Saif Hassan helped recover Bangladesh with a 24-run partnership. However, Muqeem bowled Hassan for 19 runs off 17 balls. Hridoy then joined with Mosaddek Hossain to score 53 runs, but Muqeem got both the pair out in the last over.
Hridoy scored 42 runs off 25 balls, hitting four sixes and two fours, while Mosaddek scored 11 runs.
Muqeem topped the scoring charts with 3/26.