Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in the first semi-final of the Asian Games men’s cricket competition on Thursday. The win at the Korogi Sports Club sends the Green Shirts into the Asian Games cricket final. Sufiyan Muqeem led the bowling with three wickets. Moreover, a collective batting effort sealed the chase.

A wet outfield reduced the match, and Pakistan needed 112 in 13 overs. Captain Sahibzada Farhan won the toss and chose to field first. Bangladesh finished on 111 for seven. Pakistan reached the target with four wickets down and three balls to spare.

Saif Hassan and Tanzi Hasan Tamim began cautiously with a 17-run partnership. However, Arafat Minhas removed Tamim in the second over. Saim Ayub then bowled captain Litton Das for two, while Minhas dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon for one. Bangladesh therefore slipped to 21 for three.

Towhid Hridoy joined Hassan, and the pair added 24 runs for the fourth wicket. Muqeem ended that stand by dismissing Hassan in the seventh over. Hassan also made 19 off 17 balls. Furthermore, Hridoy and Mosaddek Hossain added 53 runs for the fifth wicket. Muqeem removed both in the penultimate over.

Hridoy top-scored with 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes and two fours. Mosaddek made 11, while Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain finished unbeaten on eight and two. Muqeem ended with three wickets for 26 runs, and Minhas took two.

Pakistan began badly when Farhan fell for one in the first over. Maaz Sadaqat then hit two fours and a six before Nasum Ahmed dismissed him for 15. Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman removed Ayub for 21 after he hit two sixes and a four. Additionally, Usman Khan added 15 runs with Hasan Nawaz before Rishad Hossain dismissed him, leaving Pakistan on 53 for four.

Still, Abdul Samad and Nawaz turned the game around with an unbeaten 69-run stand off 32 deliveries. Samad top-scored with an unbeaten 30 off 15 balls, including five fours and a six. Nawaz also contributed 27 not out from 22 balls. Mahedi Hasan, Rahman, Hossain and Ahmed took one wicket each for Bangladesh. Finally, the Asian Games cricket final awaits a Pakistan side that excelled in all departments.