Fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal delivered a match-winning performance in a thrilling low-scoring final that culminated in a Super Over, leading Pakistan Shaheens to victory over Bangladesh A and clinching the Asia Cup Rising Stars title.
Super Over Decides the Final, The final hinged entirely on Daniyal's nerves of steel. Defending six runs in the 20th over of the main match, Daniyal kept his composure to force a tie, sending the contest into a Super Over.
Batting first in the Super Over, Bangladesh A was restricted to just 6 runs, primarily due to Daniyal's precision. He removed Abdul Gaffar Saqlain with his second ball and then clean-bowled Jishan Alam.
Requiring only 7 runs, Saad Masood and Maaz Sadaqat wasted no time, chasing the target down in just four balls to spark celebrations for the Shaheens.
Sent into bat, Pakistan Shaheens struggled heavily against the Bangladesh A attack, they lost Yasir Khan first ball to a stunning under-arm direct hit from Saqlain. They continued to slip, falling to 25 for 3 in the fifth over after Mohammad Faiq and Ghazi Ghori departed.
Only Maaz Sadaqat (23, including two fours and a six) offered brief resistance. Captain Irfan Khan crawled to 9 off 22 balls.
Ripon Mondol bowled a terrific 19th over, picking up three wickets, as the Shaheens were eventually all out for 125 in 20 overs.
Bangladesh A began their chase aggressively, but Pakistan's spin quartet proved decisive: Opener Habibur Rahman Sohan started rapidly, smashing a six and two fours off Saad Masood. He departed after pulling a long hop to square leg.
The combination of Arafat Minhas, Saad Masood, Maaz Sadaqat, and especially Sufiyan Muqeem (left-arm wristpin) derailed the chase. Muqeem bamboozled the middle order, taking three wickets in quick succession, cleaning up Akbar Ali, Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby, and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury to leave Bangladesh A reeling at 53 for 7 in the 13th over.
The match saw a dramatic twist when the last three batters staged a thrilling counter-attack: Rakibul Hasan (24), Saqlain (16), and Ripon Mondol (11) brought Bangladesh A back from the brink.
Needing 27 off the last two overs, Shahid Aziz missed his yorkers, conceding three sixes in the 19th over and flipping the script.
Daniyal, however, maintained his composure in the final over, mixing his lengths effectively to rescue the Shaheens and force the tie, setting the stage for his Super Over masterclass. Mondol, the semi-final Super Over hero, could not repeat his feat in the final.
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