Asia Cup 2018: Our Performance Has Been Very Poor: Sarfraz Ahmed

Before the start of the Asia Cup, Pakistan were considered as the firm favourites for the competition even ahead of defending champions India. Pakistan’s familiarity with the UAE conditions as well as their form before the Asia Cup made many believe that they would be the team to beat. However, all the speculations and expectations ended on Wednesday as Bangladesh dumped them out of the competition to set-up a clash with India in the final.

In the do-or-die Super Four stage clash, Bangladesh won the game by 37 runs to enter the final. Both the teams had their chances but in the end it was Bangladesh who made them count.

Mashrafe Mortaza did not hesitate in batting first after winning the toss. The decision initially backfired as Junaid Khan and Shaheen Afridi reduced them to 12 for 3. However, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun once again bailed Bangladesh out of trouble with a brilliant stand.

Asia Cup 2018: Our Performance Has Been Very Poor: Sarfraz Ahmed
Pakistan vs Bangladesh (Asia Cup, Credits: AP)

The duo added 144 runs for the fourth wicket. Hasan Ali broke the stand when he dismissed Mithun for 60. Rahim, on the other hand, held firm and took his team’s score close to 200-run mark. But his heroic knock ended in a heartbreak manner as he was out for 99. Bangladesh’s lower-order batsmen then failed to finish strongly as the Tigers were all out for 239.

Bangladesh, however, did not let their late collapse affect them as they came out all guns blazing with the ball. In no time, they reduced Pakistan to 18 for 3.

Asia Cup 2018: Our Performance Has Been Very Poor: Sarfraz Ahmed
Pakistan vs Bangladesh (Asia Cup, Credits: AP)

Imam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik then steadied the ship with a 65-run stand. However, Malik and Shadab Khan departed in quick succession as Pakistan found themselves 5 down for just 94. A 71-run stand between Imam and Asif Ali revived their hopes. But the game all but ended when both of them were dismissed in space of two runs. Pakistan were eventually restricted to 202 for 9.

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Speaking after the game, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed expressed his disappointment over the loss before admitting that his team did not play well.

“We are obviously not feeling good. As a team we have not done well. Our performance has been very poor. As a player, I have done really badly too. I should have done better. We were poor in every facet of the game. There were lot of batting collapses for us in the tournament. Fakhar is our main batsman, he failed to do perform in this tournament and Shadab was hit by injury too. We have to play well to beat good teams. Our batting collapse was the main reason of defeats in this tournament. Shaheen Afridi is a talented youngster, we have given him opportunities to showcase his talent and he has done well too,” he said,

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