On March 20, 2012, opener Tamim Iqbal celebrated his birthday in style, smashing a half-century as Bangladesh stormed into the Asia Cup final, chasing a rain-adjusted target of 212 in 37.1 overs -- with 17 deliveries to spare -- against Sri Lanka in front of a packed Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

The left-hander's fluent strokeplay had set the tone, countering Lasith Malinga's fiery pace and Sri Lanka's spin threat, but the Tigers had found themselves in a tight spot -- three down for 40 runs inside eight overs.

From there, the home side clawed their way back as Tamim -- who announced his retirement from international cricket this year before turning 36 today -- and Shakib Al Hasan (56) stitched together a crucial 76-run stand.

Although Tamim fell soon after reaching his fifty -- an elegant 57-ball 59, studded with nine boundaries -- he had already laid the foundation. Nasir Hossain (36*) and Mahmudullah Riyad (32*) then kept their cool to see Bangladesh home.

Earlier, Nazmul Hossain's three-wicket burst rattled Sri Lanka, who could only muster 232 in 49.5 overs on a tricky surface. The win also eliminated India, setting up Bangladesh's second-ever ODI final.

Tamim's purple patch continued in the final, where he notched up his fourth consecutive fifty, finishing as the tournament's second-highest scorer with 253 runs -- only behind Virat Kohli's 357. However, Bangladesh's dream run ended in heartbreak, as they fell agonisingly short by just two runs against Pakistan in the final.