Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report: When Pakistan tied their pads and entered the Multan International Cricket Stadium on August 30 for the inaugural match of the 2023 Asia Cup in front of a loud, crying crowd, almost everyone expected them to win, but not like this. They persuaded Nepal with a death dance, butchered them, and sent them to the shadow realm.
Babar, Iftikhar: The Main Curators of Nepal’s Demise
Babar underlined why he is the No. 1 ODI batter in the ICC Rankings, adding 151 runs to the scoreboard from 131 deliveries. He built a 214-run partnership with Iftikhar Ahmad, who also had a century, his maiden ton. Both batters put a lot of question marks on the faces of helpless Nepal bowlers and helped Pakistan set up a gigantic 342-run total.
Both batters invaded the pitch and flurried with boundaries and sixes. While Babar’s 151-run innings is decorated by 14 fours and four sixes, Iftikhar proclaimed his big-hitter status once again, hitting 11 fours and going for the tonk four times in his 71-ball stay to score his 109 runs.
Also READ: Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report
A Decent Start, a Crumbling Powerplay, and a Rocketing Pick Up
In Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan started fine, adding 21 runs to the scoreboard, and it looked like the openers were slowly finding the flow. But Karan KC blew down the flow, picking up two quick wickets in the fifth and sixth. He sent Fakhar Zaman into the wicketkeeper’s hand in the third ball of the fifth over. And in the next over, Rohit Paudel threw down Imam-ul-Haq on a run-out, sending Pakistan to a worrying 23/2. Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam tied up to lift the score slowly.
After a good 86-run partnership, Rizwan fell, and soon one more wicket was wasted, at the expense of Agha Salman, and Pakistan again circled back to the backfoot, losing four of their frontrunners while adding 124 to the scoreboard.
Then Ifthikar joined the captain, and it was a lifeline. Babar continued to hit boundaries at regular intervals. Iftikhar also hit big, punishing Kami with a six over midwicket. According to the Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report, both batters gave a helping hand to Pakistan’s innings when it was much needed. Nepal’s unintended misfields also aided them, and they scored 71 runs in the 31–40-over period, the second most in the match. When Iftikhar reached his second-ever ODI fifty, Babar enjoyed his ton, utilizing just 109 balls.
At the 47th, Pakistan crossed 300. When Babar reached his second ODI 150, Ifthikar reached his batting hundred. In the last 10 overs, they managed to gather 129 runs to reach a score of 342/6.
Also READ: Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report
Nepal’s Batters Went in Shambles
They started well. Kushal Bhurtel hit the boundaries twice off Shaheen Afridi in the very first over. But Afridi came back, trapping him down the legside. Naseem Shah took the wicket of Aasif Sheikh after Shaheen Afridi sent Paudel to the pavilion. As per the Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report, Nepal cut short to 14/3, a troubling figure.
Though the fourth pair gave them a bit of expectation, adding 50 runs, Rauf ended it by snapping the wicket of Shaikh. Going forward, Nepal wanted someone to show up and sail them ashore, but that never happened as the lethal Pak bowling attack was ruthless. At one point, they were down to 82/5 and lost the other 5 within 22 runs.
Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 Report: Score Summary
Pakistan: 342/6 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 151, Iftikhar Ahmed 109*; Sompal Kami 2-85)
Nepal: 104 (Sompal Kami 28; Shadab Khan 4-27, Haris Rauf 2-16)
Pakistan Won by 238 runs.
For more, check out: Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 report.
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