Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan won the first match by 238 runs

Babar Azam and Iftekhar Ahmed wash away Nepalese bowlers. (Asia cup 2023)

The first match of the Asia Cup 2023 was very exciting. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first, scoring 342 runs in the stipulated 50 overs while losing six wickets. Captain Babar Azam played a brilliant inning of 151 runs in 131 balls, in which he hit 14 fours and 6 sixes. So the same Iftekhar Ahmed also played a brilliant inning of 131 runs in 71 balls with the help of 11 fours and 4 sixes. Captain Babar Azam was chosen Player of the Match for his brilliant century. Shadab Khan took 4 wickets for 27 runs and helped Pakistan get a big win.

While Nepal’s team got all out after scoring 104 runs in just 23.4. Arif Sheikh scored the most runs from Nepal, Arif scored 26 runs which included 5 fours. And he was supported by Sompal Kami, Kami scored 28 runs which included 4 fours. Captain Rohit Poudel went to the pavilion without opening an account. As soon as Arif Sheikh and Sompal Kami were dismissed, Nepal’s team disintegrated, and Nepal had to face a big defeat.

The Nepali team could not stand against the Pakistani bowlers.

Chasing a mammoth target of 343 in the Asia Cup 2023, Nepal got off to a disastrous start as Shaheen Afridi took the wickets of both openers in the very first over. Kushal Bhurtel and captain Rohit Paudel walked to the pavilion without scoring any runs, and in the second over, Asif Sheikh also fell victim to Naseem Shah‘s ball after scoring 5 runs. Arif Sheikh and Sompal Kami added 59 runs for the fourth wicket and took the score to 73, which gave Nepal some hope, but both of them also became victims of Haris Rauf. And thus the process of falling wickets continued, and the rest of the batsmen could not stand for long against the stormy bowling of Shadab Khan, and the entire team was all out. For Pakistan, Shadab Khan took the maximum four, while Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf took two wickets each.