Bangladesh A's remarkable fightback fell just short as Pakistan Shaheens clinched the Asia Cup Rising Stars title with a Super Over victory in a tense final at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha on Sunday.
The win marked Pakistan Shaheens' third championship in the competition.
Chasing 126 for victory, Bangladesh A slumped to 96 for nine, leaving their hopes all but extinguished. But Ripon Mondol, who had earlier taken three wickets with the ball, produced a stunning late cameo, scoring an unbeaten 11, while fellow pacer Abdul Gaffar Saqlain contributed a crucial 16 not out after Rakibul Hasan's 21-ball 24. Bangladesh A added 20 runs in the 19th over to bring the equation down to seven needed from the final over. They could not, however, complete the chase but Ripon managed a single off the last ball to tie the match and force a Super Over -- just as Akbar Ali's side had done in the semifinal win over India.
However, Bangladesh A's Super Over performance faltered. Habibur Rahman took a single off the first ball, before Saqlain was dismissed on the second, offering a return catch to pacer Ahmed Daniyal. A wide delivered five extra runs but Daniyal struck again, bowling Jishan Alam to restrict Bangladesh A to just six runs.
Pakistan Shaheens made light work of the chase. Facing Ripon Mondol, their batters collected singles off the first two deliveries before Saad Masood struck a boundary on the third. A single off the fourth ball sealed the win and the title.
Despite Bangladesh A's spirited late resistance, the early batting collapse proved too costly.
Bangladesh 'A' skittle Pakistan for 125
Ripon Mondol picked up three wickets, Rakibul Islam claimed two as Bangladesh 'A' bowlers bundled out their Pakistan counterparts for 125 in the final of the Asia Cup Rising Stars in Doha on Sunday.
The bowlers picked up eight wickets in between two run outs in the first and last ball of the innings as Bangladesh dictated terms throughout the first innings.
Only three Pakistani batters got into double figures, with Saad Masood top scoring with a 38 off 26.
Bowling first, Abdul Gaffar Saqlain set the tone in the very first ball of the match, not as a bowler but as a fielder, getting a direct hit with an under-arm throw to run out Yasir Khan for a duck.
SM Meherob and Rakibul Hasan also struck in the Powerplay, which ended with Pakistan on 40-3. Part-timer Jishan Alam removed opener Maaz Sadiq for 23 off 18 in the seventh over.
Arafat Minhas, who was dropped on 20, could only add five more runs before getting outdone with a cutter from Saqlain, which crashed onto the stumps to reduce Pakistan to 68-5 in 10.4 overs.
Saad formed a couple of partnerships with the tail to push the total past 100.
Pakistan had reached 116-6 after 18 overs with Saad still there, but Ripon did not allow him to stretch the total too much, as dismissed him and two others in the 19th overs which went for just two runs.
Saqlain only conceded seven from the 20th as Pakistan were all out for a total which at the halfway mark looks quite chasaeble.