Germany will definitely reach World Cup final: Cafu

MARACANA, Brazil: The two-time champion is a huge admirer of Joachim Low's side and feels they will be the hosts' opposition at the Maracana on July 13.

Cafu is in no doubt that Brazil will meet Germany in the finalof this summer's World Cup. The former Selecao skipper has the utmost respect for Joachim Low'smen, who reached the semi-finals in South Africa in 2010 with ayoung side that drew praise for their attacking endeavour.

Cafu now believes that the Germans, with a further four years ofexperience under their belts, are now host nation Brazil's mostlikely opponents in Rio on July 13.

'Germany are a very strong team,' the two-time World Cup winnertold Sportinformations-Dienst.'

They are very highly rated here [in Brazil]. Germany have developed very well.'We all believe in a final against Germany. They will definitely reach the final.'

Cafu, who represented the likes of Roma and AC Milan during astellar playing career, led Brazil to a 2-0 victory over Germany inthe final of the 2002 World Cup.

Maria Sharapova wins French Open in second longest final

PARIS: Maria Sharapova won her second French Open and fifth career major on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 win over Romania´s Simona Halep in the tournament´s second longest final.

At 3hr 02min, it was just two minutes shy of the 1996 final between Steffi Graf and Aranxta Sanchez.

Sharapova, the seventh seed, won her first Roland Garros title in 2012 and was runner-up last year to Serena Williams.

Halep, the fourth seed, was playing in her maiden final at a Grand Slam and was hoping to become the first Romanian champion since Virginia Ruzici in 1978.

Saturday´s win took Sharapova, 27, level with Martina Hingis as a five-time Grand Slam title champion. (AFP)

Nadal to play Djokovic in French Open final

PARIS: The world´s top two players, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, will contest Sunday´s French Open final following the Spaniard´s 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 centre court demolition of Andy Murray on Friday.

Earlier Djokovic had won through his semi-final with a 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Ernests Gulbis Of Latvia.

Top seed and eight-time winner Nadal now stands just one win away from becoming the first man to take the French Open title five times in a row, surpassing Bjorn Borg.

He also is on the cusp of a 14th Grand Slam title, which would put him level at second best on the all-time list with Pete Sampras and three behind Roger Federer.

Murray failed in his bid to become the first British player to contest the French Open final since Bunny Austin 77 years ago and will now turn his attention to defending his Wimbledon crown.

It was his worst loss to Nadal in nine Grand Slam match-ups between the two, surpassing the nine games he managed in the 2008 Wimbledon quarter-finals. "I think that today I played my best tennis at Roland Garros this year," said Nadal. "After 10 years of coming here and to be back in the final for the ninth time - it´s something I never believed would happen in my life. "He (Djokovic) is an unbelievable opponent. He is always a big challenge and I need to play at my very best. He beat me the last few times we played."

Nadal was aware that the last time he played Murray -- on clay in Rome last month -- the Scot won the first set 6-1, before losing in three.This time it was a very different scenario as the Spaniard, who turned 28 on Tuesday, hit the deck running, winning the first three games in just 10 minutes and for the loss of just three points.

Murray finally opened his account, but the one break of serve was enough for Nadal to take the first set 6-3.

It was another storming start to the second set from Nadal who bludgeoned two big forehand winners past Murray to set up breakpoint which he took when the seventh seed weakly hit a high forehand wide.

Murray was failing to make any impression on the Nadal serve with not a single break point offering him any hope, and it became an even steeper mountain to climb for him when he dropped serve for the third time to put Nadal 5-2 up.

The Majorcan duly pocketed the set by serving out to love and such was the one-sided nature of the contest that there was no sign of Murray´s habitual angry outbursts aimed at getting himself going.

The outcome looked a formality and when Nadal broke the Murray serve for the fourth time to lead 2-1 in the third the end was in sight for the 27-year-old Scot.

It came 18 minutes later when a dispirited Murray lost serve for the fifth and final time.

The win brought Nadal´s formidable record on the claycourts at Roland Garros, since making his debut in 2005, to 65 wins against the one loss, conceded to Robin Soderling of Sweden in a fourth round tie in 2009.

And it meant that he has now won 20 of the 23 Grand Slam semi-finals he has contested in his career, the last time he lost in the last four being against Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open. (AFP)

Djokovic makes it back into French Open final

PARIS: Novak Djokovic worked his way back into the French Open final, taking care of Ernests Gulbis and his big serve 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Friday on the first sunny day of this year´s tournament.

The second-seeded Serb was able to control the pace of the match on Court Philippe Chatrier while letting Gulbis´ unforced errors mount.

The powerful Latvian, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal, finished with 44 errors.

Djokovic is a six-time major champion who needs to win the title at the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

He also reached the final at Roland Garros in 2012, but lost to eight-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic will next face either Nadal or Andy Murray in Sunday´s final.

Djokovic was first to get into trouble in the first semifinal, but he managed to save two break points and hold to 2-2 in the opening set.

A few minutes later, he was ahead for good. Djokovic needed three attempts to earn his first break of the match, and he finally got it when Gulbis sent one of his many forehands long.

It was also in that game that Gulbis had his first of five double-faults. His second double came in the final game of the set, when Djokovic broke again. And his third came when trailing Djokovic 4-3 in the second, when the Serb broke yet again. "I´m not used to (playing) these kind of big matches," Gulbis said. "It´s just normal I felt extra nervous and extra tense."

Gulbis fared better in the third set. He again had two break points while leading 3-2, but again failed to win the game. However, he didn´t waste his chance two games later, breaking Djokovic to take a 5-3 lead before serving out the set with his 11th ace.

The two traded breaks early in the fourth set, and Djokovic broke again to lead 5-3 when Gulbis, again double-faulting once in the game, sent a backhand long.

Djokovic won the last game at love. "It was a struggle out there," Gulbis said. "I felt maybe throughout the match I hit five really clean shots, from either side, backhand or forehand. Even serve."

After nearly two weeks of overcast skies and cool temperatures, the sun was shining on center court and Djokovic and Gulbis were more interested in staying cool than staying warm.

Both players used ice wrapped in towels around their necks, like players often do at the sweltering Australian Open, as the temperature reached 28 degrees C (82 degrees F) on Friday.

Djokovic is now 5-1 against Gulbis, a 25-year-old player who as a teen showed the potential for becoming a star. But Gulbis has said recently that he is only now playing his best tennis, and only because he has decided to leave the party lifestyle behind and focus on his sport.

He certainly showed that at Roland Garros.Gulbis had reached the quarterfinals at a major only once before, and that was way back in 2008 at the French Open.

In that match, he also lost to Djokovic, but in straight sets. This year, he eliminated 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round and sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. "The more I play these kind of matches, the more I´m going to get used to these situations," Gulbis said. "For me, I take only the positive stuff out of it. Yeah, I need to be in these situations once, twice, three times, and then I can maybe make that extra step."

Djokovic, however, is playing even better. He has won three titles so far this season, and has beaten Nadal the last four times they have played, including on clay in the final in Rome last month. (AFP)

KKR win toss, put KXIP into bat in IPL final

BANGALORE: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to field against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the final of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The KKR would go in to the IPL final with a slight edge over Kings XI Punjab. They won the title two years ago, they are on a eight-match winning streak and they have beaten Kings XI twice in three matches this season.

The KXIP made one change, bringing in Balaji for Sandeep while KKR go unchanged.

Teams:
KKR: RV Uthappa (wk), G Gambhir (captain), MK Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschae, SA Yadav, PP Chawla, SP Narine, M Morkel, UT Yadav.

KXIP: V Sehwag, M Vohra, WP Saha (wk), GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, GJ Bailey (captain), AR Patel, MG Johnson, L Balaji, Karanveer Singh, P Awana.

KKR win toss, put KXIP into bat in IPL final

BANGALORE: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to field against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the final of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The KKR would go in to the IPL final with a slight edge over Kings XI Punjab. They won the title two years ago, they are on a eight-match winning streak and they have beaten Kings XI twice in three matches this season.

The KXIP made one change, bringing in Balaji for Sandeep while KKR go unchanged.

Teams:
KKR: RV Uthappa (wk), G Gambhir (captain), MK Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschae, SA Yadav, PP Chawla, SP Narine, M Morkel, UT Yadav.

KXIP: V Sehwag, M Vohra, WP Saha (wk), GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, GJ Bailey (captain), AR Patel, MG Johnson, L Balaji, Karanveer Singh, P Awana

Knight Riders ease into IPL final

KOLKATA: Robin Uthappa prolonged a stellar season and took the record for the most runs scored by an Indian batsman in an IPL season. Gautam Gambhir, though scratchy with the bat, had helmed an impressive turnaround by Kolkata Knight Riders.

Knight Riders eased into the IPL final, Uthappa found a place for the ODI tour of Bangladesh and Gambhir could contemplate a Test comeback in England.

The jitters began when Manan Vohra, empowered by a few solid hits, miscued to long-on. His 26 off 19 had originally put Kings XI ahead on the rain rule but now they were four runs behind par. Glenn Maxwell's attempts to dance around the crease to upset the bowler's rhythm backfired when he was found plumb in front. Kings XI were 11 behind and the downward spiral steepened.

Umesh Yadav was not among those bound for England in July. His chosen way to vent was an opening spell of 2 for 12 in three overs. As rain persisted, the batsmen were uncertain regarding the length of the match and the approach they should employ. If they took undue risks and the game ended up lasting the 20 overs, they could end up without enough batsmen. If they didn't press on, Knight Riders would clinch the game with ease.

Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller flailed at the crease, attempting to hit on the up and hack across the line, and by the time their struggle came to an end their side was more than 20 runs behind the Duckworth-Lewis equation.

Giraldo, Nishikori to contest Barcelona Open final

MADRID: Colombian Santiago Giraldo beat Rafael Nadal´s conqueror Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-3 at the Barcelona Open on Saturday to reach just his second ever ATP final.

Almagro had described his win over Nadal, an eight-time champion in Barcelona, on Friday as possibly a turning point in his career. However, the Spaniard was unable to find the same form against the world number 65 as one break in the 11th game was enough to give Giraldo the first set. The second set was a tale of missed opportunities for Almagro as he could only convert one of five break points and was broken twice himself as Giraldo sealed victory in an hour and 26 minutes.

Japan´s Kei Nishikori will be Giraldo´s opponent in the final as he continued his fine form this season with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Latvian Ernests Gulbis.

Nishikori, playing for the first time on clay under new coach and former French Open champion Michael Chang, was dominant on serve throughout and never faced a break point on his way to sealing victory. "I was very happy to see lots of Japanese people congratulating me after the match," said the world number 17. "I love coming to Spain to play. There have not been any easy matches. I am playing great and I am particularly pleased with my serve and forehand against (Marin) Cilic (in the quarter-finals) and today." (AFP)

Arsenal beats holder Wigan to reach FA up final

LONDON: Arsenal avoided FA Cup embarrassment against second-tier club Wigan on Saturday, coming from behind against the holder and winning a penalty shootout to reach the final where the London club will be looking to end a nine-year trophy drought.

After extra time ended 1-1, Arsenal´s players scored all of their penalties and Lukasz Fabianski made two vital saves in a 4-2 shootout victory over Wigan in this meeting of the fifth-place teams in the Premier League and League Championship.

Wigan went in front in regular time from the penalty spot at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker conceded the spot kick that Jordi Gomez converted but the German made amends by heading in the equalizer that sent the game into extra time. "In the first half we were a bit timid," Mertesacker said. "A lot of people questioned (our character) recently but how we came back today we proved a lot."

A year after winning its first major trophy by beating Manchester City and then again in this year´s semifinals, Wigan couldn´t produce another upset against a Premier League power — much to Arsene Wenger´s relief. "It was important mentally," the Arsenal manger said. "If you imagine the consequences of going out tonight, it would have been quite worrying."

With the second half of his 18-year reign defined by the lack of silverware, Wenger desperately needs to collect a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup success when Arsenal returns to Wembley for the final.

It could be a bittersweet end to the season, though, with Arsenal at risk of missing out on the Champions League after 16 successive years. Just before kickoff at Wembley, Arsenal was dislodged from the fourth Champions League place by Everton, which beat Sunderland 1-0.What a slump it has been for Wenger´s side, having spent so much of the opening months of the season on top of the league.

The failure to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window has come back to bite Wenger. How differently things could have turned out if he had brought in an additional striker.

Instead, Wenger on Saturday was relying for goals on 21-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo, who was starting just his fourth game since joining on a free transfer before this season. Olivier Giroud was on the bench.

Sanogo´s lack of cutting edge and pace in front of goal quickly became apparent. The Frenchman was denied by Scott Carson from close range after five minutes and again just before halftime when his unconvincing first touch to control the ball allowed the goalkeeper to thwart the attempt.

If there was anything to reassure a dreary Arsenal side failing to produce the fluid football Wenger champions, it was Wigan´s inability to provide much attacking menace. So Arsenal gifted Wigan the opening to go in front.Mertesacker slid in with a lunge to cut out Callum McManaman´s run and the forward went to ground in the penalty area. After a delay while Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal received treatment elsewhere on the pitch, Gomez, a product of Barcelona´s youth system, sent the spot kick beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski.The anger among Arsenal fans who have grown accustomed to failure was clear: Jeers greeted Wenger´s decision to bring Giroud on, not for Sanogo but Lukas Podolski in the 68th.

The equalizer proved elusive. After Carson´s save from Kieran Gibbs´ header sent the ball drifting toward the goal, Wigan defender Stephen Crainey scooped the ball off the line.

Wigan´s goal was finally breached in the 82nd when it couldn´t fully clear a corner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain raised the ball over the defense and Mertesacker headed in at the far post.

It was a lucky escape for Arsenal, which was denied a winner in extra time when Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the crossbar but had better luck in the shootout.

Fabianski saved Wigan´s first two penalties by Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison, while Arteta, Kim Kallstrom, Giroud and Cazorla all netted for the Gunners. "We are walking out of Wembley on paper as losers but in our own mind as winners," said Wigan manager Uwe Rosler, whose focus returns to gaining promotion back to the Premier League. (AP)

Hull reaches 1st FA Cup final in 110-year history

 

LONDON: Hull reached the FA Cup final for the first time in its 110-year history as the Premier League side twice came from behind to beat third-tier club Sheffield United 5-3 in a lively encounter on Sunday.

After winning world football´s oldest cup competition three times as a Manchester United player in the 1990s, Hull manager Steve Bruce will bring his team back to Wembley Stadium on May 17 for the final against 10-time winner Arsenal. "If you had said 10 years ago that Hull will play Arsenal in the FA Cup final, people would have been scratching their heads," Bruce said. "It just shows you what can be done."

Hull is now just one game away from emulating Wigan´s surprising run to the title last year, but the team will need to improve vastly on its first-half performance.

But Hull was transformed after halftime, with Matty Fryatt restoring parity at 2-2 before Tom Huddlestone and Stephen Quinn gave the northeast team what appeared to be a comfortable cushion.

Even though Jamie Murphy pulled a late goal back for United, David Meyler quickly responded to secure Hull´s first trip to a major final. "We were very sloppy in the first half and didn´t get going," Meyler said. "We got together at halftime and regrouped. It´s fantastic."

One dilemma for Bruce in the final will be whether to play son Alex Bruce, who remained on the bench throughout the semifinal. At the 1991 final, Nigel Clough played up front in father Brian´s Nottingham Forest team, which lost to Tottenham. Nigel Clough was back at Wembley managing Sheffield United on Sunday for an emotional occasion as English football marks the 25-year anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.Clough was in the Forest team on April 15, 1989, for the FA Cup semifinal at Sheffield Wednesday´s ground that became the scene of Britain´s worst sporting disaster as 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death. "With the tributes it´s been a very, very emotional weekend for everybody in football," Clough said. "Twenty-five years on the feelings are the same." The Hillsborough game lasted just six minutes before the full magnitude of the deadly crush became clear. On this weekend of tributes to the victims, and education for a new generation of fans, every game kicked off seven minutes later than usual.

Fittingly, United´s opening goal came from Jose Baxter, a boyhood Liverpool fan who went on to play for Everton. After bundling the ball in from close range, the 22-year-old Baxter removed his black armband and held it up while looking up to the sky.

Baxter´s side was in the ascendancy for much of the first half, making Hull look ordinary, until Sagbo slid in to equalize in the 42nd. But United´s lead was restored inside 100 seconds as Stefan Scougall completed a speedy break.

The game swung in Hull´s favor, however, within 10 minutes of the second half as Fryatt forced the ball over the line from close range after United failed to fully clear a corner, and Huddlestone weaved his way through the defense before cooling chipping into the net.

Then came what proved to Hull´s match-winner, with Quinn heading in against his former club in the 67th.

Even though Murphy gave United hope of a dramatic comeback by slicing in his team´s third in the 90th, Meyler´s goal settled the match. If Hull does manage to etch its name onto the FA Cup, it won´t be the one Hull owner Assem Allam wants to see.

The Egyptian businessman was rebuffed by the FA earlier this week in his attempt to change Hull City to Hull Tigers, a name he believes would help the team earn more international fans and exposure. Winning the Cup — and qualifying for the Europa League — could have the same effect. (AP)

 

Sri Lanka crush Windies to reach World T20 final

DHAKA: Sri Lanka reached the final of the World Twenty20 with a 27-run win over West Indies, the defending champions, after the first semi-final was ended by rain on Thursday.

Set a challenging 161-run target, the West Indies were well short on the Duckworth-Lewis method when a thunderstorm stopped play after 13.5 overs at the Shere Bangla stadium in Dhaka.

West Indies, who would have needed 108 to win on the D/L method, were 80-4 when play was halted.

The win was sweet revenge for Sri Lanka who lost the 2012 final in Colombo to the West Indies. Sri Lanka will face the winners of the second semi-final between 2007 champions India and South Africa, also in Dhaka on Friday. The final will be played in Dhaka on Sunday.

Dwayne Bravo hit a 19-ball 30 studded with three boundaries and a six to take the fight to the Sri Lankan bowlers who took three wickets in the space of nine runs after the West Indies had reached 25-0 in the fifth over.

Spearhead Lasith Malinga, who was leading Sri Lanka after their regular captain Dinesh Chandimal opted out due to lack of form, dismissed dangerman Chris Gayle (three) and Dwayne Smith (17) in his second over.

Malinga had figures of 2-5 in his two overs. Leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna had Lendl Simmons lbw (four) to leave the West Indies struggling at 34-3 before Bravo and Marlon Samuels (18 not out) added 43 for the fourth wicket.

Bravo was smartly caught in the deep by Mahela Jayawardene off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and three balls later the rain arrived in the aftermath of strong winds. When Sri Lanka batted after winning the toss, Lahiru Thirimanne top-scored with a career best 35-ball 44, Tillakaratne Dilshan made a run-a-ball 39 and Angelo Mathews a fiery 23-ball 40.Mathews hit two sixes and three boundaries to give the innings much-needed impetus before he fell off the last delivery.

Paceman Krishmar Santokie finished with two for 46 runs.

Thirimanne hit three boundaries and two sixes.Sri Lanka had raced to 41 in the fourth over thanks to Dilshan and Kusal Perera (26), before they lost three wickets in the space of 15 balls.Perera, who hit two fours and as many sixes off 12 balls, was bowled by Santokie before Jayawardene was run out without facing a delivery.Kumar Sangakkara miscued a drive and was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree for one.

Dilshan and Thirimanne added 42 for the fourth wicket before Dilshan became the second batsman to be run out. He hit two boundaries and a six.

Brittany Murphy’s final film to be released

The movie is slated to open in more theatres across the US shortly after the premiere.

Actress Brittany Murphy’s last film ‘Something Wicked’ will finally hit theatres four years after her death.
Murphy, 32, passed away on December 20, 2009. Her final project, which was initially supposed to release in 2011, will debut on April 4 this year at the Regal Theatre in Eugene, Oregon, the city where the movie was filmed, reported New York Daily News.
The movie is slated to open in more theatres across the US shortly after the premiere. In 2011, the film’s producer and screenwriter Joe Colleran had praised Murphy’s final role in an interview.
“Brittany pulled off one of the spookiest scenes in the movie. There’s an important scene where her character is unravelling and she spent a long time getting ready and focused and went for it. Personally, I think it’s one of the best scenes of her career,” he had said.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh to reach Asia Cup final

DHAKA: Pakistan beat Bangladesh by three wickets on Tuesday to reach the Asia Cup final.
Bangladesh's highest-ever one-day international score of 326-3 was built around a brilliant 132-ball 100 by opener Anamul Haque before Pakistan chased down the target in 49.5 overs with a fighting 103 by Ahmed Shehzad and a firey 25-ball 59 by Shahid Afridi. Fawad Alam made 74.

Pakistan will meet Sri Lanka in Saturday's final.

Shahzad, Afridi take Pakistan to Asia Cup final

DHAKA: Shahid Afridi smashed the second fastest one-day half-century and Ahmed Shehzad hit a hundred to give Pakistan a three wicket win over Bangladesh on Tuesday and a place in the Asia Cup final.
The 34-year-old, who hit two consecutive sixes to give Pakistan a one-wicket win over India on Sunday, was once again Pakistan's saviour as they chased down their highest-ever target of 327 in 49.5 overs in Dhaka.
Afridi overshadowed a brilliant 123-ball 103 by opener Ahmed Shehzad and a sedate 74 by Fawad Alam who both set the tone for the chase, but it was the aggression of Afridi which helped Pakistan overcame a tough resistance from the hosts.
Pakistan will meet Sri Lanka in Saturday's final.
Afridi, who went into bat with Pakistan needing 101 off 52 balls, smashed paceman Shafiul Islam for a four to reach fifty off just 18 balls, one short of one-day cricket's fastest-ever half-century record held by Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, made against Pakistan in Singapore in 1996.
He equalled his own record of second fastest one-day fifty, set twice by him. He scored an 18-ball fifty during his 37-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996 and another 18-ball fifty against the Netherlands at Colombo in 2002. In all, Afridi took seven sixes and two boundaries off just 25 balls.
Pakistan's previous best run chase in a one-day was 322-6 against India at Mohali in 2007.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq praised Afridi as "hero."
"He's really playing well and he's cashing into his form which is really good for us," said Misbah.
"Everybody knows the kind of player he (Afridi) is when he is in full swing and nobody can stop him." Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim admitted Afridi snatched the game.
"When Afridi plays like that there was very little we can do. He took away the game," said Rahim.
Before Afridi's blitz, it was a remarkable turnaround for the hosts who suffered a shock upset defeat against new-comers Afghanistan in their second match on Saturday. Bangladesh made several changes after their 32-run loss, the most prominent being all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan's return after he was suspended for three matches over indiscipline.
That paid off as a revamped batting line-up led by Anamul bettered Bangladesh's previous highest-ever total of 320-8, made against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2009.
Pakistan too got a solid 97-runs by the 21st over with Mohammad Hafeez (52) and Shehzad in a punishing mood.
But they were derailed by left-arm spinner Mominul Haque (2-37) who dismissed Hafeez and Sohaib Maqsood (two), while Shakib had captain Misbah-ul Haq for four.
Shehzad completed his fifth one-day hundred but was bowled by Abdur Razzak, after hitting 12 fours and six. Shehzad added 105 runs for the fourth wicket with Alam.
But Alam and Afridi broke the hearts of a capacity home crowd after Bangladesh had been given a chance by their batsmen.
Anamul and Imrul Kayes (59) put on 150 for the opening stand and cashed onto some sloppy fielding and bowling by Pakistan.
Afridi went for 64 runs in his ten overs while paceman Mohammad Talha conceded 68 in seven and Umar Gul 76 in his 10.
But it was the left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, brought in as one of two changes in Pakistan's squad, who suffered the worst fate as he was suspended from the attack over dangerous bowling.
He became the first bowler in international cricket to concede eight runs without bowling a legal delivery.
Kayes hit five boundaries and two sixes off 75 balls.
Anamul hit six boundaries and four well-timed sixes before he was caught off Saeed Ajmal who took 2-61.
Mominul (51), Rahim (51 not out) and Shakib with a 16-ball 44 comprising six fours and two sixes, made the final touches as Bangladesh scored 121 in the last 10 overs.

4 Apr 2014 : Ban vs Pak 8th match : Afridi powers Pakistan into Asia Cup final

Mirpur : Pakistan clinched a cliff-hanger by chasing down Bangladesh’s total of 326/3 in their highest successful One-Day International (ODI) run-chase to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup at the Shere Bangla National Stadium here Tuesday.

Full Scorecards
After his match-winning knock of an unbeaten 34 against India Sunday, Shahid Afridi (59) once again produced a special innings to take Pakistan home with three wickets and a ball to spare.
Coming in to bat with Pakistan in trouble at 225/5 in the 42nd over pursuing a monumental target, Afridi scored the joint second-fastest ODI half-century in just 18 balls. This was also his third 50 off 18 balls.
In the last over Pakistan needed three runs. The first two balls were dot deliveries with Umar Akmal (14 not out) taking a run off the third. Next ball, set-batsman Fawad Alam (74) was run-out in a mix up to make it two from two. But Akmal made sure he took the defending champions into the final by hitting a boundary on the penultimate delivery.
Earlier, Bangladesh began brilliantly with a 150-run opening wicket partnership between wicketkeeper-batsman Anamul Haque (100), who scored his second century, and Imrul Kayes (59).
Monimul Haque (51) and captain Mushfiqur Rahim (51 not out) also struck important half-centuries while all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan hit an incredible 44 off 16 balls, which included six boundaries and two sixes, to take the home side to their highest ever ODI score.
Pakistan bowling was not impressive, giving away 21 extras including 15 wides. Only off spinner Mohammad Hafeez contained the hosts with brilliant figures of 10-0-27-0.
In reply, Pakistan took off well with a 97-run first-wicket partnership. Opener Ahmed Shehzad (103) scored the second century of the match, and Hazeez also struck with the bat, scoring 52. But from 97 for no loss, the visitors went to 105/3 in a couple of overs.
Then Shehzad and Alam, who scored his highest ODI score, recorded an important 105-run fourth-wicket partnership before Shehzad perished. Abdur Rehman (8) also did not last long when man of the match Afridi came into the picture with the score at 225/5 in 41.2 overs.
What he did next was history as he completely took the match away from Bangladesh making 59 off 25 balls which included two boundaries and seven spectacular sixes. There were a couple hiccups thereon but Akmal guided home his side.
Mominul was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers taking 2/37 in nine overs.
Last edition’s runners-up Bangladesh lie fifth and last with no points, losing all three matches, while Pakistan qualified in second position for the final with 13 points.