104/10 (23.4)
CR : 4.39
342/6 (50.0)
CR : 6.84
Pakistan won by 238 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Babar Azam
151(131)
L Rajbanshi 0(2)
lbw S Khan
4s/6s
0/0
SR
0.00
PAK won by 238 runs
9:35 PM IST, 21:05 Local Time: A comprehensive victory for Pakistan and the fireworks lit up in Multan. Babar Azam and his lads thrash Nepal by 238 runs as a target of 342 runs seemed always mounting for the amateur team who are representing in the Asia Cup for the first time.
Arriving for a mammoth chase of 343 runs, Nepal lost their top three within the first two overs. The first two deliveries of the innings went for a boundary but Shaheen Afridi had the last laugh after he dismantled Kushal Bhurtle and Rohit Paudel on back-to-back deliveries. Naseem Shah followed it up with yet another dismissal and the scoreboard saw 14-3 at 1.4 overs.
Sompal Kami was pushed up the order at no.5 who glued a gritty partnership of 59 runs for the sixth wicket. The pair played time but was soon removed by the pace of Haris Rauf. The speedster rushed them with pace and broke the backbone. This opened up for a collapse and the spinners- Shadab Khan (four-for) and Muhammad Nawaz shared five wickets between them to bundle the opposition to 104.
Sompal Kami was pushed up the order at no.5 who glued a gritty partnership of 59 runs for the sixth wicket. The pair played time but was soon removed by the pace of Haris Rauf. The speedster rushed them with pace and broke the backbone. This opened up for a collapse and the spinners- Shadab Khan (four-for) and Muhammad Nawaz shared five wickets between them to bundle the opposition to 104.
Pakistan recorded 342 runs on the board riding in the back of a record-shattering 214-run fifth-wicket partnership between Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed. They arrived at a situation when Rizwan and the Pakistan skipper revived the home side from a situation when the scorecard saw 25-2.
Fakhar Zaman departed early after looking a bit scratchy despite fetching some boundaries. Imam-ul-Haq followed him due to a run out and it was the duo of Rizwan and Babar that came to the rescue. The pair gelled 86 runs together for the third wicket and eased off the pressure slowly and steadily.
The wicketkeeper-batter fell prey to his own casual style of sprinting and therefore was run out when his bat saw over the line but in the air during the contact of cork with the sticks. While Salman Agha failed to show up with the bat, Iftikhar stormed in with some class.
Babar took his time to get to a century and eventually switched gears. Iftikhar was swinging big on the other end and charged the Nepal bowlers during the slog overs with disdain.
Sompal Kami was the one to topple Babar at 151 in the final over and a couple of overs later, Shadab was cleaned up in the ultimate ball of the innings. Iftikhar who brought a ton with belligerent striking also touched his career-best figure of 109 from 71 deliveries.
Rohit Paudel (Nepal Captain): "I think we started well, they were around 213 runs at the end of 40 overs, but they took the game away from us from there. I think as a batting unit we didn't perform well and we need to step up with the bat. The credit goes to Babar and his team also. I think we need to learn from this game, and step up in the next game."
Shadab Khan: "Yeah it was hot. Sri Lanka was hot as well. I think I cannot talk about Babar as he is a world-class player. But Iftikhar, the way he us batting for us in the last couple of years, it has been brilliant. He has taken the opportunities as times and played some crucial knocks. We all know how good a player he is. He is a great asset for us.
The platform our fast bowlers provided with the new ball was amazing. When they do, they bowl spell and they provide us wickets after wickets.
Definitely, conditions-wise it may be different [on facing India in Kandy]. I think it is flatter in Multan, Kandy will be different. I don't know, I am playing there for the first time[in Kandy] But how far we are playing is amazing, we have confidence in one another. Thank You."
The platform our fast bowlers provided with the new ball was amazing. When they do, they bowl spell and they provide us wickets after wickets.
Definitely, conditions-wise it may be different [on facing India in Kandy]. I think it is flatter in Multan, Kandy will be different. I don't know, I am playing there for the first time[in Kandy] But how far we are playing is amazing, we have confidence in one another. Thank You."
Catch of the Match: Fakhar Zaman
Maximum Sixes of the Match: Iftikhar Ahmed (4 sixes)
Player of the match: Babar Azam.
Babar Azam (Pakistan Captain/ player of the Match): “Yes, when I am going inside, play couple of balls, but the ball not coming on properly. So, I tried to build an innings, Rizwan and me, and after that we decide to see. We had different phases. Sometimes, Rizwan gave me confidence, and at times I gave him. Then, when Iftikhar came in, congratulations to him for his hundred.
Of course, when he [iftikhar] was inside the crease, little bit of struggle, but than I asked him to take his time, build the innings, and then he smacked the bowlers. I think I am satisfied, A couple of overs were not up to the mark. But after that, the way bowlers bowled and the spinners did I am happy.
Yes, kind of, always a win gives us confidence. We have India vs Pakistan is a high-intensity match and we will try to do well."
So, that marks the end of the coverage. Pakistan starts off their Asia Cup 2023 campaign with a delicious victory against Nepal, winning by 238 runs margin. They will be up against India in the most heated and anticipated clash in the tournament on September 2 at Kandy.
So, this was it from the coverage. Do stick around for many more cricketing extravaganza from our network. Arijit Kundu signing off alongside co-commentators, Deepak Prakash, AkshayaKrishna Polya, and scorer/analyst Zeeshan Naiyer, Goodbye!!
So, this was it from the coverage. Do stick around for many more cricketing extravaganza from our network. Arijit Kundu signing off alongside co-commentators, Deepak Prakash, AkshayaKrishna Polya, and scorer/analyst Zeeshan Naiyer, Goodbye!!