Asia Cup 2023: People saying Babar Azam bullied Nepal will see others fail in same conditions - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra has reckoned that people trying to underestimate Babar Azam's innings against Nepal would realise the quality of the innings when they find other top players in the tournament failing to score 150-plus score against the same opposition in similar conditions.

Pakistan Babar Azam smashed the first hundred of Asia Cup 2023 on Wednesday. The star batter scored 14 fours and four sixes en route to his marathon 151-run knock off 131 balls. His 214-run partnership with second centurion of the match Iftikhar Ahmed saw Pakistan post 342/6 and later win the match by 238 runs.

Aakash Chopra has hailed Babar Azam for taking control of the situation after Pakistan were reduced to 25/2 in 6.1 overs. He doffed his hat to the Lahore-born batter for completing his 19th ODI hundred in just 102 innings.

“Nepal seemed confident after getting the two early wickets and everything was going according to plan. But then comes Babar Azam. Nineteen centuries in 102 innings, he’s truly an unbelievable player and is in a league of his own," Aakash Chopra said while hosting JioCinema’s daily sports show '#AAKASHVANI.

"Now, of course, there will be people saying that 'it's just against minnows and it’s a flat pitch’. The tournament has just begun, and Babar Azam has set it on fire. Now, everyone will be playing against minnows and on great pitches and people will then notice that while the players are very good, but they couldn’t score 150+ in the same conditions. Pakistan, this time out, were actually in a troubling situation against Nepal but the way Azam manoeuvred the innings was sublime," he added.

Aakash Chopra further spoke about Iftikhar Ahmed who brought up his maiden ODI hundred in the match. The middle-order batter smashed 109 unbeaten runs off just 71 balls.

“As we saw yesterday, there is an issue with Pakistan's middle order, and they are addressing it, but Iftikhar Ahmed has papered over the cracks for the time being. Whenever he does play – it's exceptional. They made a lot of runs and then with the new ball came Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf – they were all over Nepal. This is understandable as they are an inexperienced side but they must be thinking that they could have done better.”

Pakistan will next face India on Saturday, September 2 in Pallekele.