Pakistan Beat Bangladesh by 11 Runs, Face India in Asia Cup Decider

Dubai: Under pressure after twice thrashed at the hands of India earlier in the tournament, Pakistan booked their place in the Asia Cup final with a hard-fought 11-run victory over Bangladesh in their last Super Four clash on Thursday.

The win means Pakistan will now face India in Sunday’s title decider — the first time the archrivals meet in an Asia Cup final in the event’s 41-year history.

Head coach Mike Hesson, whose credentials were questioned following Pakistan’s twin losses to India, said the side had earned their spot in the final by overcoming every opponent except their traditional rivals.

“We’ve deserved this opportunity, and now it’s up to us to make the most of it,” Hesson told reporters after the match. “All the games before this were about getting into a position to win the trophy. The only match that really counts is the final.”

Pakistan’s campaign began with victories over Oman and hosts UAE, sandwiched around a seven-wicket loss to India. In the Super Four stage, they suffered another defeat to India before bouncing back with narrow wins against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Reflecting on the team’s progress, Hesson noted improvement between their two encounters with India. “In the first game, we were a bit passive. In the second, we controlled large parts until Abhishek Sharma’s exceptional innings swung it away. We need to sustain pressure for longer if we want to beat the top-ranked side.”

Pakistan’s batting again faltered against Bangladesh, slipping to 46-4 before recovering to post 135-8. Hesson admitted the team has yet to produce a “perfect game” but praised their resilience. “The fact we can win from difficult positions shows the character in this group,” he said.