Pakistan
Bangladesh
The September 25 showdown between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the Asia Cup 2025 has all the makings of a virtual semifinal. With India already leading the Super Four standings thanks to their superior Net Run Rate (NRR), this fixture could determine who joins them in the final.
Pakistan currently occupy second place with two points from two matches, but their position is under threat as both India and Bangladesh have played one fewer game.
Bangladesh, sitting third with two points from a single outing and boasting a positive NRR, will be eager to leapfrog Pakistan with a win. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka remains rooted to the bottom, winless in two matches, and effectively out of the race.
Shaheen Afridi’s new-ball threat makes him the best pick to become Pakistan top bowler of the match.
The betting tip is...
Top Pakistan Bowler - Shaheen Afridi
73 %
27 %
PakistanBangladeshPakistan head into their clash against Bangladesh with renewed confidence after sealing a vital five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Super Four stage on September 23, 2025. That result kept their hopes of reaching the final alive and lifted them to second place in the standings with two points from two games.
The victory was built on a strong bowling performance, with Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the attack by taking three wickets for 28 runs, while Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat chipped in with two wickets each to restrict Sri Lanka to just 133/8 in 20 overs.
Despite some stumbles in the chase, Pakistan held their nerve as Mohammad Nawaz played a decisive knock of 38 not out from 24 balls and was well supported by Talat, who finished unbeaten on 32 runs.
With their bowling unit firing and key middle-order contributions coming at the right time, Pakistan look determined to push for a spot in the Asia Cup final, making their upcoming encounter against Bangladesh a must-watch contest.
Pakistan will go with the strongest XI that beat Sri Lanka in the previous game.
Predicted Lineup: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf , Shaheen Afridi , Haris Rauf , Abrar Ahmed
Bangladesh began their Super Four journey on a high, pulling off a thrilling run chase against Sri Lanka to secure a last-ball victory while chasing 169. The win gave them two valuable points and boosted their chances of progressing to the Asia Cup final.
Towhid Hridoy was the star of the batting unit, anchoring the innings with a composed 58 not out from 37 deliveries, ensuring Bangladesh crossed the finish line under pressure. On the bowling front, Mustafizur Rahman once again showed his class, returning figures of 3/20 to derail Sri Lanka’s middle order and set up the platform for the successful chase.
However, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over skipper Litton Das, who is managing a back strain picked up in training. While the team management is optimistic about his recovery in time for the Pakistan clash, his fitness remains a key talking point as Bangladesh prepare for one of their most important fixtures of the tournament.
There's a possibility that Bangladesh might consider bringing in express pacer Tanzim Sakib for Shoriful Islam, who was expensive in the match against Sri Lanka.
Predicted Lineup: Tanzid Hasan, Saif Hassan, Litton Das (c & wk)/Parvez Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam.
Pakistan’s bowling depth gives them the edge, but Bangladesh’s recent form and Hridoy’s composure with the bat make this a tight contest.
Expect a close game, though Pakistan’s experience in crunch situations could see them prevail by a narrow margin, with their pacers likely to be the deciding factor under Dubai conditions.
