Pakistan vs Bangladesh – Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in the Asia Cup Super 4 match in Lahore on Wednesday with a stellar all-round effort. Pakistan’s batting stars were Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan, while Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah led the bowling assault with four and three wickets, respectively. The victory qualified Pakistan for the tournament final, where they will play India or Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Background
Pakistan and Bangladesh have had a fierce cricket rivalry since 1986.
Bangladesh won six ODIs and Pakistan 32 in 38 matches. However, Bangladesh have improved significantly in recent years, winning four of their last six ODIs against Pakistan. The last time they met was in the 2019 World Cup, where Bangladesh won by 43 runs.
Both teams started the Asia Cup Super 4 with different results. Pakistan won Group A with three points after defeating Nepal by 238 runs and sharing points with India in a rain-affected match. Bangladesh finished second in Group B with two points after dropping five wickets to Sri Lanka and defeating Afghanistan by 89 runs. Pakistan missed Jasprit Bumrah for personal reasons, while Bangladesh missed Najmul Hossain Shanto for a hamstring issue.
The top ODI batters, Babar Azam and Shakib Al Hasan, were vital for both sides. Babar Azam scored 195 runs in two matches, at 97.50 and 102.63. Averaging 76.50 and striking at 95.62, Shakib Al Hasan has scored 153 runs in two matches. They also bowled, getting three or four wickets.
Match report
Pakistan and Bangladesh have had a fierce cricket rivalry since 1986.
Bangladesh won six ODIs, Pakistan 32 in 38. Bangladesh has improved greatly, winning four of their last six ODIs against Pakistan. They won by 43 runs in the 2019 World Cup.
Both teams started the Asia Cup Super 4 with different results. Pakistan won Group A with three points after defeating Nepal by 238 runs and sharing points with India in a rain-affected match. Bangladesh finished second in Group B with two points after dropping five wickets to Sri Lanka and defeating Afghanistan by 89 runs. Pakistan missed Jasprit Bumrah for personal reasons, while Bangladesh missed Najmul Hossain Shanto for a hamstring issue.
The top ODI batters, Babar Azam and Shakib Al Hasan, were vital for both sides. Babar Azam scored 195 runs in two matches, at 97.50 and 102.63. Averaging 76.50 and striking at 95.62, Shakib Al Hasan has scored 153 runs in two matches. They also bowled, getting three or four wickets.
Analysis
Pakistan beat Bangladesh in all departments to win. Their fielding was swift, their bowling accurate, and their batting confident. They avenged their loss against Bangladesh and established their Asia Cup credentials.
The fast and accurate Haris Rauf led Pakistan’s bowling attack. His yorkers and slower deliveries bothered Bangladesh batsmen. His wickets included the dangerous Shakib al-Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. With fire and flair, spinner Naseem Shah grabbed three top-order wickets. He created bounce and movement with short-pitched offerings to test Bangladesh batsmen.
Under pressure, Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan played decent innings to maintain Pakistan’s batting. After early losses, they collaborated with Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed. They also timed their innings well, matching the run pace without risking too much. Pakistan vs. Bangladesh saw Iftikhar Ahmed hit the winning shot after many risky shots.
Bangladesh’s performance against Pakistan was poor. Batting was unpredictable, bowling was expensive, and fielding was sloppy and sluggish. They were less motivated than against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Bangladesh depended on Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim for half their runs. Other batsmen struggled and lost crucial wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das began brightly but failed to score. Towhid Hridoy and Afif Hossain lost easily, while Shamim battled.
Bangladesh’s bowling proved impotent against Pakistan’s batting. They couldn’t apply enough pressure or take enough wickets to threaten Pakistan’s chase. Shoriful Islam got Fakhar Zaman’s solitary wicket, while Shakib Al Hasan took two but gave 51 runs in eight overs. The remainder of the bowlers were costly or defensive, enabling Pakistan to win easily.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh in all phases of the game. They demonstrated their dominance in the Asia Cup and increased their confidence before the final. They will play India or Sri Lanka on Sunday in an exciting match.
Bangladesh lost to Pakistan at the Asia Cup, underperforming. They missed the final for the second time and lost momentum before their next encounter. They will play Nepal or Afghanistan on Saturday in a dead rubber.
Source: ZoxPR.
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