Doha: Pakistan A emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish against Bangladesh A, winning the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars title in a Super Over at West End Park International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The main 20-over contest had already been a thriller, with Pakistan setting a modest target of 126. Bangladesh A fell agonizingly short, finishing at 125-9. Openers Habibur Rahman Sohan and Jishan Alam gave the innings a promising start, but Pakistan struck back swiftly. Arafat Minhas removed Jishan for six in the third over, and Saad Masood dismissed Habibur Rahman for 26, bringing Bangladesh under pressure at 36-3 within five overs.
Wickets continued to tumble as Sufiyan Muqeem, Maaz Sadaqat, and Ahmed Daniyal dismantled the middle order. A brief resistance by Rakibul Hasan and SM Meherob added 37 runs, taking Bangladesh to 88-7 by the 15-over mark. Tailenders Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondol tried to steer Bangladesh past 100 with three sixes in the penultimate over, but the chase fell short, finishing with a tie and forcing a Super Over.
The Super Over saw Bangladesh bat first but were restricted to six runs in 0.3 overs. Ahmed Saniyal dismissed Abdul Gaffar Saqlain for a first-ball duck, and despite a wide from Daniyal reaching the boundary, he conceded only six more runs in the next delivery.
Chasing seven runs, Pakistan began with a leg bye before Maaz Sadaqat struck a single, followed by a boundary from Saad Masood. Masood’s inside-edge on the final delivery sealed a 7-6 victory, handing the Shaheens the Rising Stars trophy.
Earlier in the main match, Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack, spearheaded by Arafat Minhas, Saad Masood, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Ahmed Daniyal, consistently kept Bangladesh on the back foot, making every run hard-earned. Pakistan A’s batting, anchored by Masood’s 38 off 26 balls, ensured the target of 126 was competitive and set the stage for the Super Over decider.
This thrilling finale marks Pakistan A’s triumph in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025, highlighting the depth of talent in the Shaheens’ squad and promising an exciting future for Pakistan cricket.
