Bangladesh have sealed the spot in the Asia Cup final encounter after beating Pakistan by five wickets in the eighth high voltage Asia Cup encounter at the home ground.
It would be the second consecutive Asia Cup Final encounter for Tigers.
Powered by Bangladesh's top-shelf bowling effort and helped by Pakistan's aversion to singles, a target of 130 resulted and Bangladesh hunted it down but not sans drama.
Mahmudullah and Mashrafe rode on Sami's hospitable no ball-laden over to set up a blockbuster finale against India.
An Amir yorker stunned Soumya Sarkar just when his impending fifty looked set to sail Bangladesh through and then Shakib lost his stumps to spell danger.
The Amir-effected wickets sandwiched Mushfiqur Rahim's debatable LBW and hopes then ballooned.
Tiger's pursuit for a stable start was cut short earlier, much like Tamim's peekaboo innings which featured a gigantic six before he perished to Irfan in a 4-ball stint. Sabbir Rahman's red-hot form yielded to some Afridi magic but there just were not enough runs in the bank.
Soumya Sarkar’s 48- run knock off 48 balls has propelled Tigers to chase down the 130-run target.
He hit three boundaries and a maximum before the departure in an Afridi delivery.
A sensible bowling display led by Al Amin has restricted Pakistan within 129, now Bangladesh batsmen need to score 130 in 20 overs in the high voltage encounter against Pakistan to reach the final of Asia Cup.
Al Amin, Sunny bagged Pakistan openers early with a rhythmic synchronisation of both pace and spin attack at the high voltage Asia Cup encounter.
Mashrafe, the Narail Express encouraged the Tiger’s bowling attack after bagging Mohammad Hafeez in the fifth ball of fourth overs.
Arafat Sunny bagged Sharjeel Khan in a tremendous delivery. The ball spins back in to hit middle stump.
Al-Amin picked Manzoor also the inauguration of the wicket taking effort. It was a great delivery and Manzoor had nothing to do with and the bowl off the splice into the hands of the keeper.
Taskin Ahmed sent Akmal to the dressing room in a clever delivery. Akmal comes down the track and makes room while doing so, throws the kitchen sink at it, slices it and the ball flies high towards sweeper cover, the fielder Sakib settled under it and did not make a mistake.
Sarfraz Ahmed is on crease to propel Pakistan innings for a fighting total. He scored 51 off 40 balls hitting five boundaries and a maximum.
Pakistan might be delighted to have a score which they can fight with. Malik continues to prove his worth in the middle. He found good support in Sarfraz and the duo went about steadily before turning it on in the later stages.
That 70-run partnership off just 50 balls has given Pakistan some hope of staying alive in the competition. Sarfraz went on to complete a cracking half-century and remained undefeated.