The status was sealed when Pakistan edged Bangladesh by 11 runs in a tense, low-scoring Super Four encounter.
The win meant Pakistan have beaten all their opponents in the campaign apart from India, and that the archrivals will meet for the third time in three weeks in the Asia Cup final — the first between the two side’s in the tournament’s 17-edition history.
To make it to the title clash, Pakistan needed to get past defending champions Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and the national side did that in the space of three days.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan had come into Thursday’s encounter on the back of their respective wins against Sri Lanka.
The contest, therefore, was finely poised before Pakistan flexed their muscle, however, in bits and pieces in what was a show of poor batting throughout the 40 overs.
Shaheen, Haris in the groove
Batting may still remain a headache for Pakistan, but what must be pumping the team’s dugout up is how the fast bowlers have come into their element at just the right time in the tournament.
While Shaheen — who looked better with the bat than ball at the start of the tournament — picked up his bowling rhythm from Tuesday’s win against Sri Lanka (3-28), Haris, returned from the bench, to fire 2-26 in Sunday’s six-wicket loss to India.
