Afridi’s knock stuns BD crowd

E-Paper | April 29, 2026

DHAKA: Shahid Afridi and Fawad Alam stunned thousands of Banglasehi cricket fans on Tuesday by bludgeoning half-centuries and blasting defending champion Pakistan into the Asia Cup final with a record rundown win against the hosts.

Bangladesh posted 326-3, its highest score in one-day internationals, but couldn’t prevent Pakistan from achieving its biggest run chase in one-day internationals, reaching 329-7 with a ball to spare.

Bangladesh appeared to be choking Pakistan to defeat until Afridi smashed seven sixes and two fours in a 25-ball 59. Then Alam cut loose to finish with 74 off 70 balls, falling with one run needed and two balls left.

Umar Akmal hit the winning runs straightaway, a four to the midwicket boundary, to set up a final against Sri Lanka on the same ground on Saturday.

“I tried my level best to perform well ... it’s my type of situation and I had the licence,” Afridi said after Bangladeshi hearts were broken at Sher-i-Bangla Stadium .

“I was confident that 10-10 1/2 an over was possible, and I knew if I slog I will hit it because it was a very good pitch.”

The record chase surpassed Pakistan’s previous best of 322-6 in 2007 against India at Mohali.—AP

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Newspaper

Three IHC judges shunted out to other courts

Jirga resolves to raise ‘drone deaths’ in KP Assembly

MBS presides Gulf leaders’ moot as UAE quits Opec

Saeed

Mar 06, 2014 12:02am

Brethtaking Knock

Recommend 0

Mar 06, 2014 01:53am

In the hype of the success, one should know that the boundry was small and in a bigger ground afridi would have fallen twice during his innings. Top order needed to score faster but Shehzad went on with his SR of 50 until he had scored his 50.

Recommend 0

Kamran

Mar 06, 2014 08:30pm

@AJ:not just Afridi but every other player had this advantage of the boundary being small. Afridi took advantage of this at the right moment and that's that!!! One shouldn't forget that he did this under a lot of pressure and he should be appreciated for that.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Taptap Send, Arshad Nadeem partner to highlight Pakistan’s unsung champions

The initiative comes at a time when cricket continues to dominate national attention, often overshadowing achievements in other sports.

NexGen Auto (Nishat Group) to Introduce iCAUR in Pakistan

As one of Pakistan’s leading business groups, Nishat Group operates across key sectors including textiles, cement, banking, insurance, power and agriculture.