Presenting the lowest successfully defended totals in T20 Asia Cup
What's the story
Pakistan have advanced to the final of the Men's T20 Asia Cup after defeating Bangladesh by 11 runs in Dubai on Thursday. The match was a nail-biter, with Pakistan scoring 135/8 and Bangladesh falling short at 124/9. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the star of the show for Pakistan, taking three wickets for just 17 runs besides playing a 19-run cameo. Here we look at the lowest successfully defended totals in T20 Asia Cup history.
#3
135/8 - PAK vs BAN, 2025
The 135/8 by Pakistan in the aforementioned Dubai game is third on this list. On a tough track, Mohammad Haris (31), Shaheen Afridi (19), and Mohammad Nawaz (25) played vital knocks as the Men in Green posted a decent total. Bangladesh's chase never got going as they lost three wickets in the powerplay. Shamim Hossain (30) was their only batter to score over 20 as they were restricted to 124/9. Shaheen and Haris Rauf claimed three wickets each.
#2
133/8 - BAN vs UAE, 2016
In a group-stage clash of the 2016 Asia Cup, Bangladesh successfully defended a score of 133/8 against UAE. Mohammad Mithun (47) and Mahmudullah (36*) played crucial knocks to lift their side to a modest total. However, despite Muhammad Usman's fighting 30, UAE were folded for 82 in just 17.4 overs. This match showcased the effectiveness of disciplined bowling in T20 cricket as four Bangladesh bowlers took two wickets each.
#1
129/8 - SL vs UAE, Mirpur, 2016
Sri Lanka top this elite list, having defended 129/8 in the 2016 Asia Cup match against UAE. Dinesh Chandimal (50) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (27) added 68 runs for the opening wicket in the first innings. However, a stunning show from UAE bowlers restricted the Lankans under 130. In response, veteran pacers Lasith Malinga (4/26) and Nuwan Kulasekara (3/10) triggered a batting collapse, restricting UAE to 115/9. Swapnil Patil (37) was their only batter to score over 15.