Asia Cup: Pakistan-Bangladesh lock horns to set up date with India in finals

Pakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns on Wednesday, in what will be a virtual semi-final, to decide who will meet India in the 2018 Asia Cup finals.

Both the teams have lost comprehensively to India while beating Afghanistan in the Super four stage.

If seen the recent forms, Bangladesh have the winning momentum on their side, having beaten the Afghans in their last game. Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah did the job with the bat then, and Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball.

Kayes, who was brought in only in the second half of the tournament as Bangladesh looked for replacements for the injured Tamim Iqbal, impressed in his first outing, hitting an unbeaten 72, while Mahmudullah scored a crucial 74 and, together, they lifted their team from 87/5.

Bangladesh will look to continue their performance in this crunch clash, and a lot will depend on the experienced shoulders of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have their own issues to sort. A sub-par fielding performance in their last outing ensured that India reached the target of 238 earlier than expected and with nine wickets hand.

The start has been a problem for them too, as Fakhar Zaman, one of the lynchpins of this batting line-up, has struggled to get going and has managed scores of 24, 0, 0, and 31 in the tournament so far.

Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, and Sarfraz Ahmed have performed decently. Haq has two half-centuries, Azam has one, and Ahmed enjoyed some batting time in the middle in his last outing, against India, with his patient 44.

It's only Shoaib Malik, who has risen to the occasion and has contributed heavily to the team's cause with 9*, 43, 51* and 78. Pakistan will bank big on their most experienced cricketer.

The bowling also has not looked at its best since their first group-stage match against Hong Kong.

Mohammad Amir hasn't picked up a wicket in the tournament yet while Usman Shinwari and Hasan Ali have been expensive in phases.

Shaheen Afridi has impressed in the two ODIs that he has played. The bowlers will have to strike against a potent Bangladesh middle order to reach the finals.

Probable squad

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Imam ul Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Afridi