PAK A vs BAN A | Muqeem and Daniyal shine as Pakistan Shaheens pocket Asia Cup Rising Stars title with thrilling win

‌Pakistan Shaheens recorded a thrilling win over Bangladesh A to win the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 in Doha on Sunday. After being dismissed for a modest total in their allotted 20 overs, Pakistan bounced back to hold Bangladesh for the same score and clinch the trophy in the one-over eliminator at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.

After being put into bat, the Men in Green could only manage 125 before being bowled out in the last ball of their batting essay. Saad Masood finished as their top run getter, helping the side past the 100-run mark after they were struggling at 75/6 in the 15th over. The all-rounder hit three fours and three sixes during his 26-ball 38, while Arafat Minhas and Maaz Sadaqat also chipped in with scores of 25 and 23, respectively. Pacer Ripon Mondol was the pick among the Tigers’ bowlers with impressive figures of 3/25 in four overs, with left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan picking up 2/16 in his four-over spell.

In reply, Pakistan put themselves in the driver’s seat after reducing the Tigers to 53/7 inside 11 overs. But the batting side fought back to equal the Men in Green’s score, courtesy of gritty knocks from the lower-order duo of Rakibul (24) and Abdul Gaffar Saqlain (16*). With 27 required off the last two overs, Abdul Gaffar smashed two sixes, while Ripon Mondal hit another maximum to bring the equation to seven in the last over. However, Ahmed Daniyal held his nerve under pressure to concede just six as the match went into a super over. The pacer ended with figures of 2/11 in his four overs, while left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem had 3/11 in his four.

In the one-over contest, Daniyal dismissed both Bangladesh batters for golden ducks, while also conceding a wide boundary in between. Chasing seven, Pakistan took just four balls to reach the target with Masood scoring a boundary in the penultimate ball as the Men in Green powered to a thrilling win.