“Pakistan and Bangladesh Clash in Intense Super Four Showdown at the Asia Cup 2023”

Task-in, Babar out

Babar Azam, the star player of the Pakistani cricket team, was dismissed early in the match against Bangladesh. Taskin Ahmed bowled a full ball outside off, which snuck in and got an inside edge onto the stumps. This wicket lifted the spirits of the Bangladesh team, although Pakistan was still in a strong position at 74/2 in 15.3 overs, with Imam on 36 and Mohammad Rizwan joining him at No. 4.

Bangladesh ask questions, burn reviews

In the early stages of the match, Bangladesh‘s bowlers created some tense moments for Pakistan‘s batsmen. Babar Azam, who was batting well, survived two extremely close LBW calls. The ball pitched marginally outside leg stump in both instances, leading Bangladesh to burn both of their reviews. Despite this, Pakistan managed to reach 59/1 in 14 overs.

Shoriful rattles Fakhar!

Pakistan‘s openers, Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq, struggled to settle against Bangladesh‘s seamers. Shoriful Islam, in particular, troubled Fakhar with a full ball that snaked in from off stump. Fakhar’s attempted on-drive failed as the ball hit his back leg, and a review confirmed his dismissal. Bangladesh had Pakistan at 35/1 in 9.1 overs. Shoriful has been in good form, with 30 wickets at an average of 24.93 in his 19 ODIs.

20-minute delay: floodlight failure

During the match, there was a 20-minute delay due to floodlight failure. Two light towers went off, and the match had to wait until they were restored to full capacity. This delay occurred after Fakhar Zaman was almost caught at first slip but the ball fell short. Play eventually restarted at 6.43pm.

Perfect target for Fakhar?

Fakhar Zaman, who had scored three consecutive centuries against New Zealand in May, has been struggling with form recently. In his last seven ODI innings, he has made scores of 19, 14, 33, 2, 30, 27, and 14. Despite this, Fakhar managed to hit a couple of boundaries and get off to a decent start in the match against Bangladesh.

Who is your first innings POTM?

The match commentators posed a question to the viewers, asking who they believed was the most impressive player in the first innings. They provided four options: Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Shakib Al Hasan.

Pakistan‘s quicks providing no respite

Pakistan‘s fast bowlers have been in excellent form, taking the most wickets in an innings in the men’s ODI Asia Cup. They took 10 wickets against India in 2023 and now have 9 wickets against Bangladesh in Lahore in 2023. The quicks have been successful both at home and in Sri Lankan conditions.

Naseem Shah, in particular, had an impressive spell in the match. After a scare when he appeared to injure his right arm, he quickly recovered and returned to the field. His spell included bowling Shakib Al Hasan, one of Bangladesh‘s key batsmen.

Naseem cleans up the rest

Naseem Shah continued to impress in the match against Bangladesh. He took three wickets in total, including that of Afif, who fell to a short ball. Bangladesh was eventually all out for 193. The Pakistani fast bowlers, including Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, were the standout performers, with nine wickets between them.

Haris with a double burst

Haris Rauf made a significant impact in his sixth over, taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries. He dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed, both caught by the keeper. Rauf has been in excellent form, and his double burst put Bangladesh in a precarious position at 47/4 in 9.3 overs.

Relief for Pakistan

Despite Bangladesh‘s attempts to rebuild their innings, Pakistan‘s bowlers, particularly Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, put pressure on the opposition. Shakib Al Hasan, who had been playing well, was caught out by Faheem Ashraf’s short ball. Bangladesh were 147/5 in 29.1 overs, and Mushfiqur Rahim became crucial in stabilizing the innings.

Summing up Bangladesh‘s problem

The senior players of the Bangladesh team, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, provided stability and maintained a good run-rate. They were comfortable against the pace of the Pakistani bowlers, and the team was 99/4 in 20 overs. However, some Pakistani fans expressed concerns that this partnership could become a big one for Bangladesh.

Pakistan fans, time to crack a smile…

There was relief for Pakistan fans as Naseem Shah returned to the field after his injury scare. The team management believed his shoulder and arm were fine, and he was ready to bowl again. This news brought a smile to the faces of Pakistan supporters.

What next for Naseem?

Naseem Shah’s injury was assessed to determine the extent of the damage. The team was concerned about the young bowler’s involvement in the tournament, given that Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka were leaving for Colombo together on Thursday. Any decision regarding Naseem’s participation in the tournament would need to be made promptly. The remainder of the Asia Cup would be held in the Sri Lankan capital.

Haris Rauf 51 not out

Haris Rauf continued his impressive performance in the match, taking his second wicket in just the second over. He dismissed Towhid Hridoy with a full ball that tailled in from off. With four wickets gone in the space of nine overs, Bangladesh was struggling at 47/4. Haris Rauf also achieved a milestone in this match, taking his 50th wicket in ODIs. He has been one of Pakistan‘s most consistent performers in recent times.

Rauf’s new milestone

Haris Rauf achieved a personal milestone in the match against Bangladesh, taking his 50th wicket in ODIs. He reached this milestone in only three balls, dismissing Mohammad Naim with a sharp delivery that forced him to mistime a pull shot. Rauf has been one of the fastest bowlers for Pakistan and is known for his ability to generate pace and movement.

#InjuryWatch: Naseem Shah

There was concern for Pakistan fans when Naseem Shah appeared to injure his right arm while attempting to stop a boundary. He held his arm and didn’t move for a while, prompting fears of a serious injury. The team’s physio assessed him, and Naseem left the field holding his right arm. Haris Rauf was brought in early to replace him, with Bangladesh at 44/2.

Discussing the Faheem decision

Faheem Ashraf’s inclusion in the Pakistan XI raised questions among fans and experts. Faheem is a seam-bowling all-rounder who offers more than just handy batting skills. Pakistan seems to be considering him as a valuable player for the flat batting surfaces they can expect in India at the ODI World Cup. Faheem’s inclusion also provides the team with an additional seam-bowling option.

No swing, no problem for Shaheen

Shaheen Shah Afridi, known for his swing bowling, demonstrated his versatility with the new ball. He realized that Litton Das liked to play on the front foot, so he adjusted his length and generated an angle that forced Litton to edge the ball behind. This early breakthrough put Bangladesh in trouble at 31/2 in 4.5 overs.

Bangladesh comfortable against Shaheen, Naseem

Bangladesh‘s batsmen, Naim and Litton, were looking comfortable against Pakistan‘s fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah. They played attacking strokes and hit boundaries on both sides of the pitch, displaying confidence against the pace of the Pakistani bowlers. Bangladesh reached 22/1 in 4 overs.

From 112 to 0!

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, one of Bangladesh‘s batters, was dismissed on the first ball he faced, which was bowled by Naseem Shah. He attempted to flick the ball through the leg side but was caught by the square-leg fielder. This early wicket was a setback for Bangladesh, who struggled to form a solid opening partnership. Litton Das came in at No. 3, with Bangladesh at 4/1 in two overs.

The toss, and Litton is back

In the pre-match toss, Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, won and chose to bat first. The heat was a factor in their decision, as they wanted Pakistan to field in the difficult conditions. Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, mentioned plans to look after the bowlers due to the team’s busy schedule and the amount of ODI cricket they are playing. The match was played in Lahore, where there is extra grass on the pitch. Litton Das returned to the Bangladesh team, replacing Shanto, who had performed well in previous matches.

Making sense of Pakistan‘s change

Pakistan made a change to their playing XI, replacing Mohammad Nawaz with Faheem Ashraf, the seam-bowling all-rounder. There seem to be two reasons for this decision. Firstly, Lahore’s pitch doesn’t offer as much spin as the surfaces in Sri Lanka, so a seam-bowling all-rounder like Faheem is preferred. Secondly, Pakistan believes a fourth seamer will be useful, especially considering the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.

Welcome to the Super Fours

The match marked the beginning of the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup. Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka will compete in three high-pressure matches each, with the top two teams advancing to the finale. This stage is expected to be intense, with the potential for close matches and nerves playing a significant role. The match between Pakistan and Bangladesh was seen as the start of a new chapter, as Bangladesh has never won against Pakistan in Pakistan. However, in their last five ODIs against Pakistan, Bangladesh has won four.