Bangladesh’s Asia Cup journey petered out in Dubai on Thursday night, a match that looked manageable on paper slipping away through three missed catches and a handful of rash strokes. Pakistan, rescued from 51 for 5, sneaked home by 11 runs and will now play the final; Phil Simmons’ side head back to Dhaka wondering what might have been.
The turning point, Simmons believes, was in the 12th over of Pakistan’s innings when two chances were spilled. “When we dropped Shaheen and Nawaz, that’s where the game changed,” the head coach said afterwards. “Before that, we were in control. Some of the catches maybe [had something to do with the lights] but I don’t think the ones we dropped had anything to do with the lights.”
Shaheen Shah Afridi, put down by Nurul Hasan and Mahedi Hasan, clubbed two sixes in a 13-ball 19. Moments later Parvez Hossain Emon grassed Mohammad Nawaz at deep square; the left-hander replied with 25 from 15, lifting Pakistan to 136 for 8. On a surface where 160 had been chased comfortably two nights earlier, the target looked no more than par.
Yet Bangladesh never found rhythm with the bat. They out-hit Pakistan eight-six on boundaries but kept losing wickets while searching for the big shot. Simmons did not hide behind the theory that dew or Dubai’s so-called “ring of fire” floodlights had obscured judgement. Instead he pointed to poor shot selection and the absence of captain Litton Das, missing again with a side strain.
“We didn’t have to chase it in any [particular number of] overs. We just had to win the game,” he said. “It was just bad decisions. All of the teams have that at some point. It was us today. We didn’t make the best shot selections.”
Litton had returned scores of 73 and 44 earlier in the tournament, so his late withdrawal mattered. “We just chased 160 [169 vs Sri Lanka] two games ago,” Simmons reminded. “We are not a team that can lose Tanzid [Hasan] and captain [Litton] in one game and just fill [the void] like that. We are getting to that stage, we are not there yet. Losing the captain in such good form is a big thing for us.”
Part of Bangladesh’s on-the-fly solution was to shuffle the order, promoting Mahedi Hasan to No. 4. It raised eyebrows, though Simmons was happy to defend the call. “You look at it as someone batting at No 4. I look at it as someone taking on the pacers in the powerplay.” Mahedi managed 11 from 10 before spooning to cover.
Bigger picture, Bangladesh remain stuck between upping tempo and preserving wickets, a familiar dilemma for sides whose strike-rates lag behind those of Australia, England or India. Simmons insists progress is coming. “The [strike-rate] gap will reduce the more we play at the international level, the guys will know what to do at this level,” he argued. “I agree that our strike-rate isn’t up there, but we are up there in six-hitting. I don’t think it is about our ability to score quickly. We have to bat for longer and put on partnerships.”
That latter point felt pertinent: no stand exceeded 27. Najmul Hossain Shanto stroked 34 but dragged a pull straight to mid-wicket, while Towhid Hridoy’s run-a-ball 23 ended via a top-edge. Pakistan’s attack, bolstered by an extra seamer after Haris Rauf was cleared to play, held its nerve during the closing overs.
Away from the nitty-gritty, Bangladesh’s exit revives the wider question of temperament. Former India quick Varun Aaron, on TV duty, noted that the side “looked stuck between gears”, while ex-Pakistan left-armer Wahab Riaz felt the Tigers “still need a finisher who can close a chase the way they closed the powerplay”.
Simmons accepted imperfections without reaching for excuses. “We chased 160 [169] on the same wicket, where we made better batting decisions. Batting order doesn’t say we batted well or badly. We made bad decisions today.”
The squad will reunite next in late October for a home T20I series against New Zealand. Improvement, Simmons suggested, lies in consistency rather than wholesale change. “We have to bat for longer and put on partnerships,” he reiterated one final time before leaving the media tent.
Bangladesh head home early, Pakistan roll on. Small margins, three drops, and a handful of “bad decisions” proved the difference.
