Pakistan reach Asian Games cricket final, set up India clash

Abdul Samad’s blistering unbeaten 30 off 15 balls powered Pakistan into the Asian Games men’s cricket final as they beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-reduced semi-final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan on Thursday. Chasing 112 in 13 overs, Pakistan recovered from 53-4 to reach 112-4 in 11.3 overs, with Samad and Hasan Nawaz putting on an unbeaten 59-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Pakistan will face arch-rivals India in Saturday’s gold-medal match after the world champions defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the second semi-final. Samad provided the decisive acceleration,…