Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan defeats Nepal by 238 runs

The opening game of Asia Cup has concluded and it is the co-hosts who have thrashed this year’s debutant by some margin. Pakistan has defeated Nepal by 238 runs. Pakistani skipper Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed shone with their centuries in the first innings. Here is a quick recap of the match.

Pakistan goes big in the first innings

After winning the toss and opting to bat first against Nepal, the Pakistani team did the first thing right as bowling and fielding in high temperatures would have been tough on the Pakistani fast-bowling trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. The ‘Men in Green’ would not want any of their fast bowlers to pick up a niggle or an injury before the clash against India on Saturday. 

Pakistan in trouble early on in the innings

The co-hosts played out an innings which could be divided into two halves. The first powerplay of 10 overs only resulted in 44 runs but more importantly, Pakistan lost both their openers. Fakhar Zaman after getting a good and scoring 14 runs in 20 balls was dismissed for a caught behind. Imam-ul-Haq after being the player of the series vs Afghanistan recently looked quite unsettled against the Nepalese bowlers. Imam was dismissed after a stunning piece of fielding by Nepal’s skipper, Rohit Paudel. 

Babar and Rizwan steady the ship

After the loss of the first two wickets inside the seventh over Pakistan had the job to build a partnership. Pakistan skipper Babar alongside wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan had the tough task of stabilising the batting innings. The duo shared an 86-run stand for the third wicket before Rizwan was run out in a disappointing fashion. Rizwan was nearing a well-deserved half-century when was dismissed. The wicketkeeper had pushed the ball to cover point for a quick single. The run was on but as the throw was made by Dipendra Singh, Rizwan thought the ball would hit him and in order to save himself he forgot to ground his bat.

Agha Salman joined his skipper but looked troubled by the Nepalese bowlers. In his short stay at the crease, he scored just five runs in 14 balls. He was dismissed while playing a reverse sweep to Sandeep Lamichhane as Kushal Bhurtel took a stunning catch diving forward to dismiss the fourth Pakistani batter.

Nepal loses the plot

After dismissing the fourth Pakistani batter, Nepal suddenly lost the plot and paid the price. Iftikhar Ahmed who was short on form in recent times joined his skipper to make full use of the batting-friendly nature of the pitch. At the end of 33 overs when the second drinks came, Pakistan had scored 157 runs and Nepal had kept most of their batters, except Babar in check. After the drinks break, the captain suddenly handed the ball to Kushal Bhurtel and he conceded 10 runs in his first and only over. His over provided a much-needed relief for the Pakistani batters. The Babar Azam-led side went on to score 56 runs in 7 overs after the drinks break, but that was just the trailer of what was about to come.

Babar and Iftikhar go big in the last 10 overs

At the end of the 40th over, Pakistan had scored 213, they then finished with close to 350 on the board. The co-hosts scored 129 runs in the last 10 overs. In the 43rd over,  Gulsan Jha conceded 14 runs and in the following over Dipendra conceded 13 and then Sompal Kami conceded 20 in the following over. Skipper Paudel brought Lamichhane to bowl but he too faced the wrath of the Pakistani duo as he 19 runs in the 46th over.

Babar was dismissed in the last over after making a scintillating 151 in just 131 balls. Iftikhar scored his maiden century in just 67 balls. Iftikhar’s century is now the 6th fastest century in ODIs by a Pakistani batter. The 214-run partnership between Babar and Iftikhar now holds the record of the highest partnership for 4th wicket or below for Pakistan in ODIs.

Shaheen and Naseem strike early

Shaheen Shah Afridi is known for his first-over wickets and he did the exact thing against a slightly inexperienced Nepal top-order. On just his fifth ball, Shaheen dismissed Bhurtel with a strangle down the leg side. On the following delivery, he bowled his trademark in-winging delivery to skipper Paudel to dismiss him for a golden duck. 

Sharing the new ball with Shaheen, Naseem too picked up a wicket in his first over. On his fourth delivery of the game, Naseem bowled a fullish out-swinger pitched up on the 4th stump line. Aasif Sheikh was looking to defend but could only manage to edge it to the first slip where first innings’ centurion Iftikhar Ahmed took a simple catch.

Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami put up a fight

Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami made a 59-run partnership and annoyed the Pakistan bowlers before Haris Rauf managed to dismiss them. Aarif Sheikh’s uncomfortable knock came to an end as he backed away to a good length delivery and missed the ball completely as Rauf’s delivery hit the middle stump. Sompal’s dismissal was brought upon because of a stunning catch taken by Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps. Rauf induced the outside edge which was going in between the first slip and the wicketkeeper but Rizwan’s dive helped him to hold onto the catch.

Mohammad Nawaz with just his fifth ball of the match took the wicket of Dipendra Singh. In the next over, Shadab Khan took two wickets dismissing Gulsan Jha and Sandeep Lamichhane. Shadab once again picked up two wickets in his next over to dismiss Nepal for 104 runs.