Mahedi, Taskin make the breakthroughs for Bangladesh.
Pakistan will be batting first after losing the toss in a virtual semi-final against Bangladesh in their men’s Asia Cup Super Four fixture at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
The winner will book a place in the final against India.
Live Coverage begins (Refresh for updates):
Over 7 — Pakistan – 29-3
Fakhar is gone! picked the long-off fielder to perfection!
Over 6 — Pakistan – 23-2
Muztafizur Rahman is into the attack, the left-arm slingy pacer can trouble Pakistan further as they look to rebuild.
5.5: The skipper gives the charge and hits it beautifully over the cover fielder for four!
Over 5 — Pakistan – 19-2
Tanzim Hasan Saqib is into the attack for the Tigers.
Six off the over after Fakhar got yet another boundary down to fine leg
Over 4 — Pakistan – 15-2
Mahedi returns after a successful first over.
3.6: The skipper Salman Ali Agha ends the over with a statement of intent! The ball goes over the mid-off fielder for four.
Mahedi bowled another tidy over only for Salman to break the shackles on the last ball, lifting him for a welcome boundary on the last ball.
Over 3 — Pakistan – 9-2
Taskin returns as the decibels in the stadium go up.
2.5: Fakhar gives Taskin the charge and gets a lucky boundary off an edge!
Taskin showing Bangladesh what they were missing last night. A superb first over backed up by another good one. He was unlucky when Fakhar’s bottom edge raced to the fence The pressure is on Pakistan.
Over 2 — Pakistan – 5-2
Mahedi Hasan is into the attack.
1.4: Saim hits the ball straight to mid on, and he has gotten his fourth duck in this Asia Cup.
Bangladesh set the trap, and Saim happily falls into it. Mahedi and co are on top in Dubai, and Pakistan are reeling.
Over 1 — Pakistan – 4-1
Pakistan openers Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan out in the middle; Taskin Ahmed, who sat out Wednesday’s game against India to open the bowling
0.3: Sahibzada smacks that off the back foot for the first boundary of the innings!
0.4: And the right-handed opener is gone!
An in-form Sahibzada becomes the prey of his own confidence. Going after a full one but hitting it too casually to elude the fielder at point. Not a good start for Pakistan.
Anthems
The Bangladeshi anthem is being played first.
The Pakistani anthem follows.
The fans are showing up for the all-important encounter of the men’s Asia Cup.
Teams
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abrar Ahmed.
Bangladesh: Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali (captain), Rishad Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Saqib, Taskin Ahmed, and Muztafizur Rahman.
The regional tournament, played this time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Twenty20 format, started in 1984, and this is its 17th edition.
So far, Pakistan have won three of its five matches in the tournament while Bangladesh have come out as the winner in four of its five fixtures.
If Pakistan advances to the final, they will be facing India, against whom the team has failed to secure a victory in the tournament so far.
But losses have seemingly been able to do little to dent the team’s confidence.
Earlier this week, Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi declared that the Green Shirts would reach the Asia Cup final and could beat India if the arch-rivals clashed again.
