Asia Cup 2023: Haris, Imam and Naseem shine as Pakistan kick off Super 4s stage with a win over Bangladesh

Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah and Mohammed Rizwan delivered stunning performances with the bat and bowl for Pakistan to help the Babar Azam-led side kick off the Super 4s stage with a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh.

Haris Rauf was the star of the show, taking four wickets for just 19 runs in six overs. His speed and precision were too much for the Bangladeshi batsmen to handle, leading to their dismissal for a meager total of 193 runs in less than 40 overs. Naseem Shah also played a crucial role in dismantling the Bangladeshi batting line-up, claiming three wickets for 34 runs in 5.4 overs.

The duo’s combined efforts resulted in a twin batting collapse for Bangladesh, who lost four wickets for 47 runs during the first Powerplay and another six wickets for 47 runs between the 30th and 39th overs.

Despite a commendable 100-run partnership and half-centuries from skipper Shakib Al Hasan (53 off 57 balls) and former captain Mushfiqur Rahim (64 off 87 balls), Bangladesh could not recover from the early blows dealt by Pakistan’s pace attack.

On the batting front, Imam-ul-Haq shone for Pakistan, scoring a crucial 78 runs. His performance, along with Mohammad Rizwan’s half-century, helped Pakistan chase down the target set by Bangladesh with ease. The pair’s steady partnership ensured that Pakistan maintained momentum throughout their innings, even after the loss of skipper Babar Azam.