It was Bangladesh who won the toss in Abu Dhabi, but their innings got off to a poor start in Abu Dhabi, with opener Soumya Sarkar falling in the third over, caught by Fakhar Zaman off the bowling of Junaid Khan for a duck.
In the next over, Pakistan struck again when Shaheen Afridi bowled Mominul Haque for 5, and then Junaid claimed his second wicket bowling Liton Das for 6, to reduce Bangladesh to 12 – 3.
However, there then ensued a 144 run partnership for the fourth wicket between Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun that completely revived Bangladeshi fortunes, with the pair scoring at nearly a run a ball, thanks to good running between the wickets. The stand was eventually ended when Mithun was caught and bowled by Hasan Ali for 60, and then Bangladesh lost the wicket of Imrul Kayes for 9. Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah added 30 and then, in a heart-breaking moment, Mushfifur fell to the bowling of Afridi, one short of a well-deserved century.
Mahmadullah and Mehedi Hasan added a further 24, before Hasan fell for 12, and then Mahmudullah for 25, both victims of Junaid who finished with 4 for 19. Mortaza (13) scored some late runs but Bangladesh were all out in the penultimate over for 239.
The Pakistan innings started in much the same way as that of their opponents. First to fall was Zaman who fell in the first over to Mehedi Hasan for 10, and then Mushfiqur struck twice, getting Babar Azam lbw for 1, and then Sarfraz Ahmed caught by Mushfiqur for 10.
Then, again a 4th wicket partnership help get their innings back on track, with Imam ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik putting on 67 before Malik was caught by Mortaza off the bowling of Rubel Hossain for 30. Next to fall was Shadab caught by Das off the bowling of Soumya for 4.
Imam and Ali then made a stand of 71 for the sixth wicket, but the match was effectively won by Bangladesh when they took the wicket of both men in successive overs, Ali stumped off the bowling of Mehedi Hasan for 31, with ul-Haq falling in identical fashion for 83, this time tom Mahmudullah.
Mustafizur then struck twice, as both Mohammad Nawaz and Hasan Ali were dismissed for 8 apiece, leaving Pakistan 186 – 9. The last pair of Afridi and Junaid were unbeaten at the end, but could do nothing to prevent their side slipping to defeat.
Mushfiqur was named man of the match.