With centuries from captain Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed, Pakistan’s bowling squad destroyed Nepal in MULTAN as the host nation opened their Asia Cup 2023 campaign with a commanding 238-run victory.
Pakistan Beat Nepal: Nepal’s batting order, assigned to chase down a substantial 343 runs, experience a significant failure, accumulating only 104 runs before being bowle out in the 24th over.
The affiliate team’s pursuit got off to a bad start when they only had 14 runs on the board and lost three wickets in the first two overs.
Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami stabilised the run chase after it hit a rough patch with a brave 59-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Before Haris Rauf gave Pakistan’s bowlers the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Aarif Sheikh, who could only muster 26 points off of 38 deliveries while hitting five boundaries, the pair frustrated the Pakistani defence.
As a result of Aarif’s departure, Nepal went from 73/3 to 104 all out after losing wickets at an alarming rate.
Sompal Kami led Nepal’s lone defence with a circumspect 46-ball 28 that included four boundaries.
Only Gulsan Jha (13), Sompal, and Aarif were able to reach double digits.
With 4/27, Shadab Khan led Pakistan’s bowling assault. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf followed with two wickets each, while Naseem Shah and Mohammad Nawaz contributed with one wicket each.
“Pakistan Dominates with Mammoth Total of 342/6 as Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed Shine”
Choosing to bat first, Pakistan amassed a mammoth total of 342/6 in 50 overs because to captain Babar Azam’s 151-run marathon innings and Iftikhar Ahmed’s debut century.
Iftikhar Ahmed hit an undefeated 109 while Babar Azam scored a masterful 151, both of which caused havoc for the Nepali spinners.
After winning the toss, the hosts Pakistan got off to a rough start, losing both of their opening batsmen for just 25 runs after just seven overs.
After adding 86 runs for the third wicket, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam helped rebuild the score when Mohammad Rizwan was killed by a direct hit. Six boundaries helped him score 44 runs off 50 deliveries.
After contributing only five runs to the score, Agha Salman too left after leaving Pakistan at 124-4 in the 28th over.
Iftikhar Ahmed then joined Babar Azam at the crease, and the two of them put on a blazing batting performance against the Nepali bowlers.
For the fifth wicket, they contributed 214 runs in just 131 balls, helping Pakistan reach a massive total.
Iftikhar Ahmed got 109 runs from 71 balls with the help of 11 boundaries and four sixes, compared to Babar Azam’s 131-ball 151 that included 14 boundaries and four sixes.
Sompal Kami of Nepal took two wickets, while Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane both provided one.