Johannesburg, Mar 5 - Pakistan has entered the Asia Cup finals following a three-wicket win over hosts Bangladesh on Tuesday, a victory which was boosted by the second fastest ever ODI half-century by veteran Shahid Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad's century.

Afridi, who overshadowed a brilliant 123-ball 103 by opener Ahmed Shehzad and a sedate 74 by Fawad Alam, helped Pakistan overcame a tough resistance from the hosts and led the visitors' chase of their highest-ever target of 327 in 49.5 overs in Dhaka.

According to Sport24, Afridi reached fifty off just 18 balls, one short of one-day cricket's fastest-ever half-century record held by Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya, which he made against Pakistan in Singapore in 1996.

The report mentioned that Afridi equalled his own record of second fastest ODI fifty, set twice by him when 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.

Pakistan will meet Sri Lanka in Saturday's final, the report added. (ANI)