Samad special books Pakistan's spot in gold-medal clash

Pakistan booked their ticket to the Asian Games cricket gold medal match in thrilling fashion, securing a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a rain-truncated encounter in Nisshin. Anchored by an explosive, unbroken fifth-wicket partnership between Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz, Pakistan successfully hunted down a target of 112 with nine balls to spare. A Shaky Start on a Damp Pitch Persistent rain had reduced the contest to a frantic 13-over-per-side affair due to a wet outfield. Opting to bowl first, Pakistan’s bowling unit made early inroads. Saim Ayub put on a masterclass in the powerplay, tying down Bangladesh's openers with clever variations and finishing with miserly figures. Arafat Minhas offered brilliant support, grabbing two crucial scalps to leave Bangladesh stumbling. However, Towhid Hridoy stepped up for Bangladesh. Fresh off a historic first-class triple hundred in South Africa, Hridoy counter-attacked brilliantly, striking boundaries at will. Coupled with a sloppy period of Pakistan bowling—which leaked 19 extras, including 15 wides—Hridoy steadied the ship. Sufyan Moqim managed to claw Pakistan back by picking up two late wickets, but Bangladesh managed to scrape together a competitive total of 111 for 7. Top-Order Turbulence Chasing 112 in a shortened game is never straightforward, and Pakistan's innings reflected that tension. Captain Sahibzada Farhan fell cheaply in the opening over. While Maaz Sadaqat and Saim Ayub showed breathtaking glimpses of brilliance—bludgeoning towering sixes and crisp boundaries—both batters fell victim to their own aggression shortly after getting set. When the dangerous Usman Khan departed in the seventh over attempting a reverse sweep off Rishad Hossain, Pakistan found themselves in a spot of bother at 53 for 4. Samad and Nawaz Steal the Show Enter Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz. With the required rate creeping up, Nawaz first broke the shackles by launching Nasum Ahmed for consecutive sixes in the eighth over. From there, Samad took center stage in a breathtaking display of power-hitting. He took veteran pacer Mustafizur Rahman to the cleaners, carting a massive slog sweep over long-on before rattling off a flurry of boundaries through point, midwicket, and fine leg. Samad remained unbeaten on a scintillating 30 off just 15 balls, studded with five fours and a six. Fittingly, it was Samad who drove the final nail into the coffin, smashing the fifth boundary down the ground in the 12th over to seal a memorable victory. Pakistan now march into the gold medal match with momentum and fire on their side.