Pakistan Shaheens held their nerve in extraordinary fashion to clinch the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 title, defeating Bangladesh A in a tense final that stretched into a Super Over on Sunday.
What looked like a routine win for Pakistan turned into a roller-coaster finish as Bangladesh staged a stunning late fightback despite being down and out for most of their chase.
Set 126 for victory, Bangladesh A appeared completely out of contention at 53 for 7, with Pakistan controlling the game through disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. Their situation hardly improved as they crawled to 99 for 9 by the end of the 18th over. But cricket’s unpredictability once again came alive in the penultimate over.
Shahid Aziz was struck for three massive sixes by Bangladesh’s last-wicket pair, completely altering the tempo of the match and bringing the equation within touching distance.
Bangladesh, who had earlier overcome India A in a Super Over during the group stage, remarkably pushed this final into yet another one-over shootout. However, this time their fortune deserted them. They managed only six runs while losing both their wickets inside the first three balls. Interestingly, four of those runs came off a wide that raced to the boundary.
Pakistan made light work of the modest target, sealing victory in just four deliveries and lifting yet another Rising Stars title.
The hero of the night was Ahmed Daniyal, entrusted with both the final over of the innings and the Super Over. His composure under pressure earned him the Player of the Match award. Reflecting on his approach, Daniyal said, “I had a plan and I was able to execute it well. When I bowled the first ball and when I tried to bowl a yorker on the second ball, it didn’t turn out right. After that, I wanted to keep it on a length as the ball was skidding through and I was able to knock over the batter. I talked to the captain and the coach that I will win the game for our team, I said that to them in the final stages of the game and also in the powerplay.”
He later revealed he was carrying a slight injury but continued regardless, saying, “Injury doesn’t matter, we played well as a team and we have to perform. All the credit goes to the players as well. We trusted each other and that helped us all.”
Pakistan’s Maaz Sadaqat was named Player of the Series, rounding off a memorable campaign for the Shaheens.