Goalkeeper Srabon saves Bangladesh in opening minute

Pakistan launched two promising attacks in the opening two minutes. One move, which began with a misplaced pass by Shamit Shome, resulted in a shot on target, but Mehedi Hasan Srabon produced an excellent save.

The attack in the following minute did not reach the goalkeeper. Pakistan have made a confident start, putting Bangladesh under some early pressure.

The referee blows the whistle, and the Bangladesh–Pakistan semi-final is underway at the National Stadium in Dhaka. Both teams are now chasing a place in the SAFF Championship final. Can Bangladesh end their 21-year wait for a place in the title decider?

Bangladesh hold the edge in the head-to-head record between the two sides. Of their 17 meetings, Bangladesh have won seven, while Pakistan have won six. The remaining four matches ended in draws.

A quick reminder: this match will have VAR (Video Assistant Referee). The technology made its debut at Dhaka’s National Stadium this afternoon during the first semi-final between India and Bhutan. It will also be in use for Bangladesh’s match.

So, players and fans will need to be a little cautious before celebrating. The referee’s decision could be overturned following a VAR review.

The Bangladesh–Pakistan match is the second semi-final of the tournament. India have already secured their place in the final, beating Bhutan 2–1 in the first semi-final.

Read the story here: Bhutan’s fate unchanged after 18 years as India reach final

Bangladesh have made two changes to their starting XI from the match against Sri Lanka. One was unavoidable, as Saad Uddin has been ruled out of the tournament with an injury. Rahmat Mia replaces him in the starting XI today.

The other change is at centre-forward, where Shuki Itofusa replaces Mohammad Ibrahim.

Today’s match is about more than just a place in the final. It offers Bangladesh an opportunity to end a 21-year wait. The last time Bangladesh played in the SAFF Championship final was in 2005.

On 14 December that year, Bangladesh secured their place in the final by beating Pakistan in the semi-final at Karachi’s People’s Stadium. In the more than two decades since then, Bangladesh have been eliminated at different stages, sometimes in the group phase and sometimes in the semi-finals. Despite coming close to the final, they have failed to reach it again.

Read more in this report: Bangladesh face Pakistan again with final in sight, 21 years after Karachi triumph

Bangladesh face Pakistan in a battle for a place in the SAFF Championship final. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments from the match at the National Stadium in Dhaka.