Pakistan got a place in the men's cricket final at the Asian Games 2026 after beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-shortened semifinal at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Thursday, October 1. Pakistan had to work hard to reach 112 runs in a difficult match and managed to complete the chase with nine balls to go.
The victory puts Pakistan into the gold medal match, where they will take on the winner of the other semifinal between India and Sri Lanka. The men's cricket final will be held on Saturday, October 3, giving Pakistan the opportunity to compete for the Asian Games gold medal.
Bangladesh, batting first after the match was reduced to 13 overs per team, wasn’t able to build on that momentum in the early stages of the match. Pakistan’s fast bowlers struck early and the Bangladesh batting line-up did not establish a solid foundation.
Bangladesh Finish At 111/7
Bangladesh lost three important wickets for just 31 runs in 3.2 overs. Tanzid Hasan was sent down for seven runs, Litton Das scored two, and Parvez Hossain Emon took one run.
Saif Hassan tried to steady the innings and formed a partnership with Towhid Hridoy. But Saif was dismissed for 19 when Bangladesh had 45 runs, putting pressure on the middle order.
Hridoy then took charge of accelerating the scoring. His 42-run innings helped Bangladesh over 100 runs and brought the team a competitive total in the short time frame.
Bangladesh finished on 111/7 from 13 overs, with Pakistan needing 112 runs to win the final.
Pakistan Face Early Trouble
Pakistan's chase did not start smoothly. Captain Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for just one run on the last ball of the opening over, putting Bangladesh on the front foot immediately.
Maaz Sadaqat followed soon after with 15, while Saim Ayub was dismissed for 21. Pakistan slipped to 38/3 after four overs and were under pressure to chase the revised target.
The situation was made even more difficult when Usman Khan departed for 14. His dismissal took Pakistan to 53/4 in 6.3 overs, and Bangladesh saw an opportunity to defend the total.
At that stage, Pakistan needed 59 more runs to win, with limited deliveries remaining in the rain-shortened match.
Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad Turn The Match
Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad then forged the crucial partnership that changed the course of the semifinal. The pair remained unbeaten and scored 59 runs from only 32 deliveries to take Pakistan across the finish line.
Nawaz contributed 27 runs without being dismissed, while Samad provided the major acceleration with an unbeaten 30 off just 15 balls.
The partnership kept Pakistan in control in the final stages of the chase despite losing four wickets early.
Abdul Samad's 23-Run Over Changes The Game
The crucial turning point came in the 10th over of Pakistan's innings. Bangladesh were still in a great position at the ninth-over mark, with Pakistan needing 36 runs from 24 deliveries.
Abdul Samad then attacked Mustafizur Rahman and scored 23 runs from the over. The burst drastically altered the equation and shifted momentum towards Pakistan.
After the expensive over, Pakistan needed only 13 runs from the last 18 deliveries. Nawaz and Samad took the rest of the runs in just nine balls and won a six-wicket victory.
The result showed the importance of finishing strongly in a short T20-style game in which a single high-scoring over can significantly alter the required run rate.
Pakistan Set For Gold Medal Match
Pakistan’s victory means they will play in the men’s cricket gold medal match at the Asian Games. They will now wait for the result of the India-Sri Lanka semifinal to determine their final opponent.
For Bangladesh, the defeat ends their hopes of reaching the gold medal match despite a strong effort. Their 111/7 score had already put pressure on Pakistan, particularly in the chase after the early wickets.
Pakistan’s ability to recover from 53/4 ultimately proved decisive. Nawaz and Samad finished in a dignified manner, and Samad’s explosive over against Mustafizur played a decisive role.
With the final scheduled for October 3, Pakistan will now have the chance to take the Asian Games men's cricket gold medal. They will also be able to contend for the podium in the final as the cricket match comes down to the final.
