Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan thrash Nepal by 238 runs in tournament opener

Add as a preferred source on Google

Pakistan cricket team started their campaign in the Asia Cup 2023 with an emphatic 238-run win over Nepal on Wednesday (August 30). Playing the first match of the competition at Multan Cricket Stadium, Pakistani bowlers once again showed why they are a force to be reckoned with.

Chasing a mammoth 343-run target, Nepal were bundled out for 104 in 23.4 overs. Pacer Shaheen Afridi started things off with the ball for Pakistan as he picked up a couple of wickets in the first over and later Naseem struck early in his spell too.

Nepal looked to build a partnership between Sompal Kami and Aarif Sheikh but they had no response against the brute pace of Haris Rauf. From then the wickets kept tumbling as leg-spinner Shadab Khan cleaned up the tail to end with figures of 4/27.

Earlier, Pakistan faced a rocky start losing their openers Imam ul Haq and Fakhar Zaman early in the innings after opting to bat first. However, their captain Azam rose to the occasion with a delightful knock of 151 runs. This was the second-highest score in Asia Cup history.

Babar's masterclass included two crucial partnerships; an 86-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 44 off 50 balls, followed by a whirlwind partnership of 214 runs for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar, who remained unbeaten at 109 from just 71 deliveries.

The Pakistani captain decorated his innings with fourteen fours and four sixes. Meanwhile, Iftikhar showcased his destructive best by striking eleven boundaries and four massive hits over the fence. This came after Pakistan had made an unimpressive start.

Their opener Zaman failed to carry on after showing initial intent while Imam Ul Haq was found short of crease due to a direct hit from Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel. Babar then partnered with wicketkeeper-batter Rizwan stabilizing Pakistan's innings. Despite their slow start, they kept the scoreboard ticking eventually bringing up the team's century in the twenty-second over.