Sports Desk
Pakistan Shaheens’ bowling lineup delivered a standout performance as they beat Bangladesh A in the final of the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 at West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha, on Sunday.
The game was decided in a Super Over after both side finished at 125 in their respective 20 overs.
Bangladesh batted first in the one-over shootout but lost an early wicket as Ahmed Saniyal dismissed Abdul Gaffar Saqlain for a first-ball duck.
Daniyal then bowled a wide that reached the boundary but recovered immediately to concede only six runs in the next delivery, finishing Bangladesh’s Super Over at six runs in 0.3 overs.
Chasing seven runs to win, Pakistan began with a leg bye off the first delivery, putting Maaz Sadaqat on strike.
He managed only a single off the next ball before Saad Masood struck a boundary in the third delivery, leaving Pakistan needing just one run from three balls.
Masood then inside-edged the final delivery to secure the winning run and seal the trophy for the Shaheens.
Earlier, in the main match, Bangladesh fell agonizingly short while chasing Pakistan’s target of 126, finishing at 125-9 in 20 overs.
Openers Habibur Rahman Sohan and Jishan Alam provided a solid start, scoring freely in the early overs.
Pakistan struck back quickly. In the third over, Arafat Minhas dismissed Jishan for six off four balls, leaving Bangladesh at 22-1.
In the next over, Habibur Rahman was out for 26 off 13 balls — including three fours and two sixes — to Saad Masood, putting the Shaheens in control.
Arafat continued the pressure, trapping Mahidul Islam Ankon for a five-ball duck in the fifth over, reducing Bangladesh to 36-3.
Wickets kept tumbling as Sufiyan Muqeem dismissed skipper Akbar Ali for two off 10, and Maaz Sadaqat removed Yasir Ali for eight.
After the drinks break, Sufiyan struck twice in one over, removing Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 53-7 in 10.1 overs.
A gritty partnership between Rakibul Hasan and SM Meherob briefly revived Bangladesh, adding 37 runs to take the score to 88-7 by the 15-over mark.
Ahmed Daniyal broke the stand, dismissing Meherob for 19 and then Rakibul for 24, pushing Bangladesh to 96-9 in 17.2 overs.
Tailenders Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondol produced a late surge, smashing three sixes off Shahid Aziz in the penultimate over to take Bangladesh past 100 and leaving just seven runs needed in the final over with one wicket in hand.
However, Bangladesh managed only six runs in the last over, scoring a single off the final ball when two were required, resulting in a dramatic tie and forcing a Super Over.
Batting first, Pakistan suffered a nightmare start. Opener Yasir Khan was run out for a duck on the first ball, followed by Mohammad Faiq’s second-ball dismissal, leaving the side at 2-2 in 1.1 overs.
Ghazi Ghori and Maaz Sadaqat added 23 runs in a brief partnership, but both were eventually dismissed, reducing Pakistan to 49-4 in the seventh over.
Arafat Minhas and captain Irfan Niazi attempted a recovery, taking Pakistan past 50, but both fell to Gaffar Saqlain and Rakibul Hasan, leaving the Shaheens at 64-5 in 10.4 overs.
Saad Masood’s 38 off 26 balls, featuring three fours and three sixes, helped Pakistan cross the 100-run mark, but wickets kept falling at the death.
Shahid Aziz was trapped LBW for nine, Masood dismissed soon after, and Ubaid Shah fell for a duck, leaving Pakistan at 125-9. Daniyal was run out on the final ball, with Sufiyan Muqeem unbeaten on four.
