MULTAN – Pakistan defeated Nepal by a huge margin of 238 runs in the opener of Asia Cup 2023 at Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Chasing a mammoth 343-run target for an improbable victory, Nepal was bundled out for just 104 runs with only three batters managing to reach the double figures.

Shaheen Shah Afridi put Nepal on the back foot by sending opener and number three batsmen back to the hut on successive deliveries during the first over with only 10 runs on the board.

Asia Cup campaign begins in style! 💪

4️⃣ wickets for @76Shadabkhan as Pakistan achieve their third-highest margin of victory in ODIs ✨#PAKvNEP | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/GmTk0tKCbp

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 30, 2023

Naseem Shah sent the other opener back home at 14 runs on the board. Wickets continued to fall on regular intervals and Nepal was all out on 104.

Shadab Khan took four wickets, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi two wickets each while Naseem Shah and Muhammad Nawaz got one scalp each.

1️⃣2️⃣9️⃣ runs scored in the last 10 overs! 🔥

Fireworks in @babarazam258 and @IftiMania's record stand lift Pakistan to 3️⃣4️⃣2️⃣-6️⃣ 🏏#PAKvNEP | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/r1U2zVxVBa

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 30, 2023

Babar Azam was named player of the match for scoring a record-breaking 19th century in his 102nd ODI inning.

Earlier, Pakistan posted a challenging total of 342/6 after opting to bat first on winning the toss. Green Shirts lost both the openers during the first powerplay. At 25/2, skipper Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan steadied the ship through a solid 86-run stand.

Again loss of two quick wickets with the addition of just 13 runs brought Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed together. During 224-run partnerships, both batters crossed the hundred mark.

Babar Azam achieved the milestone of hitting 19 hundred in 102 innings. He got out in the last over the inning.

Iftikhar Ahmed hit maiden hundred. He remained not out on 109 runs after facing 66 balls. Shadab Khan got out on the last ball of the inning after hitting a solitary boundary on the penultimate ball.

Debutant Nepal needed 343 runs to create an upset in the opener of the Asia Cup. The contest marks many firsts as Nepal, as a team, and Multan, as a venue, make their debut in the continental tournament. It is also a maiden contest between Pakistan and Nepal at the top level.

The atmosphere in the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium promises to be electrifying for the Wednesday clash. Both teams will receive tremendous support from the cricket-loving Multan fans. The fans will be treated to an absorbing opening ceremony before the match, which begins at 1430 PKT time.

Thank you Multan for your support in Asia Cup's grand return to Pakistan 🤩#PAKvNEP | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/D16j9r9YFV

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 30, 2023

Pakistan’s last outing in Multan in the format was in June last year and the home side enjoyed resounding success over the West Indies by thrashing them 3-0 in the three-match series. The team has played 10 ODIs here and won seven.

“It is always a great feeling to play in front of the passionate Multan crowd and we all are very excited that the Asia Cup is beginning from this city,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said on the eve of the contest. “I want to congratulate Nepal for qualifying for the Asia Cup and I hope that their participation will give a boost to the development of the sport in the country. We are looking forward to playing Nepal and I am sure it will be a good contest.”

Pakistan entered the Asia Cup with momentum on their side. They topped the ICC rankings for ODI teams on Saturday after securing a 3-0 whitewash over Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. This is the second instance of the team surmounting the chart since April. Pakistan also boasts the best win/loss ratio of 2.750 with 22 wins in 31 matches since this World Cup cycle.

The team has enjoyed success across formats at home and away recently. In April-May, they levelled the T20 International series 2-2 and won the five-match ODI series 4-1 against New Zealand, whitewashed Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the two-Test series in July and defeated Afghanistan 3-0 in ODIs in Sri Lanka this month.

Pakistan will fly to Sri Lanka on 31 August to play India in the second Group-A match on 2 September at Kandy. The venue will also host the third and final match of the group between India and Nepal on 4 September.

Squads

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir. Traveling reserve: Tayyab Tahir

Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Mousom Dhakal, Sundeep Jora, Kishore Mahato, Arjun Saud