Pakistan A (also known as Pakistan Shaheens) clinched the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 title after a dramatic final against Bangladesh A at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
The match ended with both teams tied on 125, before Pakistan A held their nerve in the Super Over to secure their record third Rising Stars crown.
Bangladesh A posted 125/9 in 20 overs, and Pakistan A were bowled out for 125 in 20 overs, setting up a tense finale. In the Super Over, Ahmed Daniyal restricted Bangladesh A to 6/2, and Pakistan A calmly chased the 7-run target in four balls without losing a wicket, sealing victory with two deliveries remaining.
Match Summary
- Tournament: ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 – Final
- Venue: West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha
- Result: Match tied – Pakistan A won the Super Over
- Full Scores:
- Bangladesh A: 125/9 (20 overs) & 6/2 (0.3 overs, Super Over)
- Pakistan A: 125 all out (20 overs) & 7/0 (0.4 overs, Super Over)
Pakistan A Innings – 125 All Out (20 Overs)
After being sent in to bat, Pakistan A never quite found fluency but kept themselves in the game with important contributions in the middle overs.
Pakistan A Batting Card
| No. | Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasir Khan | run out (Abdul Gaffar Saqlain) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 2 | Maaz Sadaqat | b Jishan Alam | 23 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 127.78 |
| 3 | Mohammad Faiq | b SM Meherob | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 4 | Ghazi Ghori (wk) | b Rakibul Hasan | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| 5 | Arafat Minhas | b Abdul Gaffar Saqlain | 25 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 108.70 |
| 6 | Irfan Khan (c) | lbw b Rakibul Hasan | 9 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 40.91 |
| 7 | Saad Masood | b Ripon Mondol | 38 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 146.15 |
| 8 | Shahid Aziz | lbw b Ripon Mondol | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.00 |
| 9 | Ahmed Daniyal | run out (Akbar Ali) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| 10 | Ubaid Shah | b Ripon Mondol | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 11 | Sufiyan Muqeem | not out | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Extras | (b 1, lb 2, w 3) | 6 | |||||
| Total | 125 all out in 20 overs (RR 6.25) |
Saad Masood’s brisk 38 off 26 balls and Arafat Minhas’ 25 off 23 were crucial in lifting Pakistan A from 49/4 towards a competitive total, but regular strikes from Bangladesh’s bowlers prevented any big finish.
Bangladesh A Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Wides | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripon Mondol | 4 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 6.20 |
| SM Meherob | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Rakibul Hasan | 4 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 4.00 |
| Jishan Alam | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Abdul Gaffar Saqlain | 4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 6.80 |
| Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 5.70 |
Left-arm seamer Ripon Mondol once again led the attack with a three-wicket haul, while Rakibul Hasan’s tight spell (2/16) choked Pakistan A through the middle overs.
Bangladesh A Innings – 125/9 (20 Overs)
Chasing 126, Bangladesh A’s top order started briskly but kept losing wickets at crucial moments. From 48/5 and later 96/9, they looked out of the game before a remarkable last stand dragged the match into a tie.
Bangladesh A Batting Card
| No. | Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Habibur Rahman Sohan | c Ubaid Shah b Saad Masood | 26 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 152.94 |
| 2 | Jishan Alam | lbw b Arafat Minhas | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 150.00 |
| 3 | Mahidul Islam Ankon | lbw b Arafat Minhas | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 4 | Yasir Ali | c Irfan Khan b Maaz Sadaqat | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
| 5 | Akbar Ali (c & wk) | b Sufiyan Muqeem | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20.00 |
| 6 | SM Meherob | c Yasir Khan b Ahmed Daniyal | 19 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 90.48 |
| 7 | Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby | b Sufiyan Muqeem | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| 8 | Mrittunjoy Chowdhury | b Sufiyan Muqeem | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 9 | Rakibul Hasan | lbw b Ahmed Daniyal | 24 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 114.29 |
| 10 | Abdul Gaffar Saqlain | not out | 16 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 133.33 |
| 11 | Ripon Mondol | not out | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 122.22 |
| Extras | (b 1, lb 3, w 6) | 10 | |||||
| Total | 125/9 in 20 overs (RR 6.25) |
Bangladesh A needed 29 from the last 16 balls with only one wicket left, but Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondol launched a stunning counter-attack. Saqlain hammered Shahid Aziz for 20 runs in the penultimate over, including multiple sixes, before the pair eked out the remaining runs off Ahmed Daniyal to tie the game at 125-all.
Pakistan A Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Wides | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubaid Shah | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Shahid Aziz | 4 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 3 | 11.80 |
| Arafat Minhas | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Saad Masood | 3 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 11.00 |
| Maaz Sadaqat | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3.50 |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 4 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2.80 |
| Ahmed Daniyal | 4 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2.80 |
Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was outstanding with figures of 3/11, while seamer Ahmed Daniyal backed him up with a miserly 2/11. Despite the late assault, those spells ultimately kept Pakistan A alive.
Super Over – Daniyal and Masood Seal It For Pakistan A
With scores level, the title was decided via a Super Over.
Bangladesh A Super Over – 6/2 (0.3 overs)
- Pakistan handed the ball to Ahmed Daniyal.
- Bangladesh sent in Abdul Gaffar Saqlain and Ripon Mondol, the heroes of the main innings.
- Daniyal struck twice in three balls, conceding just a single boundary and closing the over at 6/2.
His calm execution under pressure transformed the match, turning what had looked like Bangladesh A’s momentum into a modest target for Pakistan.
Pakistan A Super Over – 7/0 (0.4 overs)
Chasing 7 to win, Pakistan A promoted Saad Masood and Maaz Sadaqat to take on the chase.
- The pair picked up runs smartly, targeting gaps rather than swinging wildly.
- Pakistan reached 7/0 in four balls, with two deliveries to spare, sparking celebrations in the Shaheens camp.
Key Turning Points
- Ripon Mondol’s New-Ball Spell
His 3/25 removed Masood, Aziz and Ubaid to prevent Pakistan A from pushing beyond 130. - Muqeem and Daniyal’s Middle-Overs Squeeze
The pair combined for 5 wickets for just 22 runs in 8 overs, dismantling Bangladesh’s middle order.
Saqlain–Mondol Last-Wicket Stand
From 96/9 to 125/9, their 29-run partnership forced the game into a Super Over and briefly tilted the pressure back onto Pakistan.
Daniyal’s Super Over Masterclass
Returning under immense pressure, he conceded just six runs and removed both batters, effectively deciding the final.
What the Result Means
- Pakistan A become the only team with three Asia Cup Rising Stars titles in the tournament’s short history.
- The victory highlights the depth of Pakistan’s fast-bowling stocks and spin options at the A-team level.
- For Bangladesh A, the final showcased a talented group of youngsters who pushed the champions all the way and gained invaluable high-pressure experience.
