Pak vs Nep, Asia Cup 2023 Live Score: Pakistan finishes at 342/6; Babar Azam 151, Iftikhar remains unbeaten at 109
Pakistan scored a massive 342/6 in their opening match of the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal at the Multan International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Babar Azam led the way with a brilliant 151 off 123 balls, while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on 109 off 102 balls.
The duo put on a record 260-run partnership for the third wicket, which is the highest partnership for any wicket in Asia Cup history.
Pakistan got off to a good start, with Fakhar Zaman scoring 14 off 20 balls before he was caught behind off Karan KC.
Imam-ul-Haq followed soon after for 12, but Babar and Iftikhar took control of the innings.
They batted with great composure and punished anything loose from the Nepal bowlers.
Babar brought up his 100 off 100 balls, and he continued to score freely.
He was eventually dismissed by Sandeep Lamichhane, but Iftikhar kept going and brought up his century off 101 balls.
The duo put on a batting masterclass, and their innings laid the foundation for Pakistan’s big total.
In reply, Nepal were never really in the hunt.
They were bowled out for 205 in 42.1 overs, with Shaheen Afridi taking 4 wickets for 35 runs.
Pakistan won the match by 137 runs and got off to a winning start to their campaign.
Here are the top performers for Pakistan:
- Babar Azam: 151 runs off 123 balls
- Iftikhar Ahmed: 109 runs off 102 balls
- Shaheen Afridi: 4 wickets for 35 runs
Here are the top performers for Nepal:
- Dipendra Singh Airee: 34 runs off 36 balls
- Sandeep Lamichhane: 2 wickets for 44 runs
The match was played in good batting conditions, with the pitch offering some help for the bowlers early on.
Pakistan made good use of the conditions and scored heavily in the first half of their innings.
Nepal struggled to contain the Pakistan batsmen, and they were eventually bowled out for a low score.
Pakistan will be happy with their performance, and they will be looking to build on this in their next match.
Nepal will need to improve their batting if they want to challenge the other teams in the tournament.
The match was a good advertisement for the Asia Cup, and it is sure to be a closely contested tournament.
