Pakistan won by 238 runs
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Babar Azam
Batter
Bowler
That’s all for this Asia Cup opener. We’ll be back tomorrow to bring you the action between an injury stricken Sri Lanka and an injury stricken Bangladesh. Which team can plug their holes better? Join us to find out, bye for now…
Babar Azam | Pakistan Captain and Player of the Match: When I went in, the ball wasn't coming on properly, so I was trying to build an innings with Rizwan. Then we had a different phase, sometimes Rizwan gave me confidence, sometimes I gave him belief. Iftikhar also played a great innings when he came on. When he came in, I told him to play his natural game and he was comfortable after 2-3 boundaries. A couple of overs we weren't up to the mark, but the way our pacers started and then the spinners were brilliant. This win will give us the confidence, India Pakistan will always bring high intensity, we will try our best.
Rohit Paudel | Nepal captain: We started well with the ball, but both set batters took the game away from us. We have batted better before and we missed out today. Wicket taking balls were not there in middle overs, but credit to Babar for the way he batted, credit to Pakistan. Learning from the game would be we need to improve bowling in death overs, as a group we need to step up with the bat.
Shadab Khan: It was hot out there, but Sri Lanka was hot as well but Sri Lanka was more humid. I can't talk about Babar because we all know he is a world class player, Iftikhar has done so much for much whenever he gets the opportunity. He showcased his power hitting really well today. The platform was setup for me by the pacers, Shaheen and Naseem and then Haris Rauf was amazing. The conditions will be different, I have never played there (Pallekele) but let us see. We have confidence in each other and this is the beauty of the Pakistan cricket team.
20:55 Local Time, 15:55 GMT, 21:25 IST: Game, set, match for Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi started things off with a brace in the first over, and then Naseem struck early in his spell too. Nepal built a partnership between Sompal Kami and Aarif Sheikh, but the brute pace of Haris Rauf proved to be their undoing. From then the wickets kept falling quickly, as Shadab cleaned up the tail to end with stellar figures of 4/27. This game however was done after the first innings itself, when Babar scored 151 and Iftikhar Ahmed scored his maiden ODI century. A tough learning curve for Nepal, they were terribly outclassed in batting and bowling, but it is their mediocre fielding efforts that would hurt skipper Rohit Paudel the most. Stick on for the presentations...
Shadab Khan to Rajbanshi, out Lbw!! Shadab Khan goes fuller and quicker on the googly. Rajbanshi wasn't picking them at all. Trapped in front of leg and given out by the umpire, stays out despite the batter's review. Pakistan win by 238 runs! Rajbanshi lbw b Shadab Khan 0(2)
Shadab Khan to Rajbanshi, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!
Nepal review for an LBW. Might just be delaying the end, because it looks out... Yes, three reds. That'll be the game
Shadab Khan to Rajbanshi, no run, googly, Lalit Rajbanshi didn't read it at all. It came and hit his bat
Lalit Rajbanshi, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Shadab Khan to Kushal Malla, out Caught by Iftikhar Ahmed!! Flighted delivery on off, Kushal Malla goes for a big swing over the infield but the bat turns as he makes contact and he hits it straight down the throat of Iftikhar at mid-off. Pakistan one wicket away now... Kushal Malla c Iftikhar Ahmed b Shadab Khan 6(4) [6s-1]
Shadab Khan to Kushal Malla, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Shadab Khan to Karan KC, 1 run, short outside off, punched towards sweeper cover
END OF OVER 23
11 Runs
NEP: 103 - 8
4 0 0 1 6 0
Kushal Malla
6 (3)
Karan KC
6 (5)
Mohammad Nawaz
2-0-13-1
Nawaz to Kushal Malla, no run, Nawaz shortens the length, the batter blocks off the backfoot
Nawaz to Kushal Malla, SIX, tossed up on off, Malla shimmies in and swings with the spin. Plenty of back hand power behind that to hoist it over wide long-on for six!
Nawaz to Karan KC, 1 run, flighted up on middle, driven towards long-off
Nawaz to Karan KC, no run, full outside off, run down towards backward point
Nawaz to Karan KC, no run, pushed fuller and straighter, defended
Nawaz to Karan KC, FOUR, arm ball, angling just outside off. Karan KC covers his stumps and plays a stylish back cut to the left of backward point for a boundary
END OF OVER 22
2 Runs
NEP: 92 - 8
0 Wd 0 W 0 W 1
Karan KC
1 (1)
Kushal Malla
0 (1)
Shadab Khan
6-0-26-2
Shadab Khan to Karan KC, 1 run, pushed quicker on off stump, driven to long-off