New Delhi: Pakistan Shaheens secured the Asia Cup Rising Stars title for the third time, triumphing over Bangladesh in a dramatic final held at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha on Sunday, November 23.
The match culminated in a Super Over, where Pakistan denied Bangladesh A their first title, similarly to their previous encounter in 2019. Chasing a target of seven runs, Pakistan achieved victory on the fourth ball of the one-over shoot-off.
Bangladesh A batted first in the Super Over, with Habibur Rahman Sohan, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, and Jishan Alam at the crease. They managed to score a mere six runs, with five runs coming from extras, and were dismissed in just three deliveries.
For Pakistan, Saad Masood and Maaz Sadaqat took to the pitch, with Ripon Mondol bowling the crucial over. Mondol had performed impressively in the semifinals by conceding no runs against Indian batters but struggled here, allowing a four on the third ball, as Pakistan sealed the match with two deliveries remaining.
Both teams had previously scored 125 runs. Saad Masood led Pakistan with 38 runs, while Arafat Minhas and Maaz Sadaqat contributed 25 and 23 runs, respectively. Ripon Mondol stood out for Bangladesh A, claiming three wickets.
Bangladesh A matched Pakistan’s total with contributions from Habibur Rahman Sohan, who scored 26 runs, and Rakibul Hasan, who added 24 runs. Despite their efforts, Bangladesh A fell short in the Super Over.
Pakistan A’s Playing XI: Maaz Sadaqat, Yasir Khan, Mohammad Faiq, Irfan Khan (c), Ghazi Ghori (w), Saad Masood, Arafat Minhas, Shahid Aziz, Ahmed Daniyal, Ubaid Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem
Bangladesh A’s Playing XI: Habibur Rahman Sohan, Jishan Alam, Yasir Ali, Akbar Ali (w/c), Mahidul Islam Ankon, SM Meherob, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, Rakibul Hasan, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, Ripon Mondol
