Bangladesh’s lower-order batsmen kept their cool under pressure to beat Pakistan by five wickets in Dhaka on Wednesday (2 March), securing them a place in the Asia Cup final.

Earlier, electing to bat first, it was Bangladesh’s pace bowlers who managed to keep Pakistan to 28-4 before Ahmed and Shoaib Malik shared 70 runs for the fifth wicket.

Such was the discipline in Bangladesh’s bowling that they did not concede a single extra-run.

Al-Amin Hossain grabbed 3-25 runs, while Arafat Sunny claimed 2-35 playing his first match in the tournament.

Taskin Ahmed conceded just two runs in his first three overs, before finishing with 1-14.

Soumya Sarkar was Bangladesh’s highest scorer with 48 runs, helping his team to 131-5 in 19.1 overs after they restricted Pakistan to 129-7 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

The hosts will play their second Asia Cup final against India on 6 March.

Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah Riyad struck medium pacer Anwar Ali for a boundary to complete the thrilling victory and stay unbeaten on 22.

The winning boundary triggered wild celebrations in the dressing room and in the boisterous gallery, where Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among those watching.