Bangladesh pull Asia rug From under Pakistan's feet

MIRPUR: Bangladesh set off countrywide celebrations by storming into the final of the Asia Cup with a pulsating win over Pakistan at a packed, wildly cheering Shere-eBangla Stadium here on Wednesday night.
The five-wicket win, which came with five balls to spare, brought the stadium -spectators inclutators included Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina - alive even as team members rushed on to the ground to congratulate skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and Mahmudullah, who did well to hold their nerve in the final few overs of a tense 130-run chase.
Bangladesh will play India in the final on Sunday.
Opener Soumya Sarkar (a run-a-ball 48; 5x4, 1x6) anchored the chase in a measured manner to raise Bangladesh hopes. When he was dismissed, castled by Mohammad Amir (2-26) in the 14th over, Bangladesh were just 47 away from a win.
But more drama was about to unfold as Pakistan took a couple of crucial wickets to add spice to the contest.
Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped in front by Shoaib Malik and Shakib Al Hasan was cleaned up by Amir, causing the hosts a few anxious moments. With 18 needed off the last two overs, Mohammad Sami (0-30) bled 15 runs in the penultimate over.
Defending a not-so-daunting 130, Pakis tan struck early, trapping Tamim Iqbal legbefore to reduce Bangladesh to 131. Sabbir Rahman (14; 1x4) and Soumya added 33 for the second wicket before skipper Shahid Afridi dismissed Rahman. Soumya and Mushfiqur added 37 for the third wicket. Despite the bowlers coming up with a credible show, the ordinary show put in the batsmen proved to be Pakistan's undoing again.
Pakistan's 129-7 was built on an enterprising fifth-wicket stand between Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik.
The duo took little time to gauge the pace of the wicket and were instrumental in giving Pakistan's innings some shape after a familiar top-order collapse.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first, a move which backfired when Khurram Manzoor, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal provided Pakistan the worst possible start. After 8.2 overs, Pakistan were 284, and could never completely recover from that.