Asia Cup 2023 top run-getters and wicket-takers after Pakistan vs Nepal match (Updated) ft. Babar Azam & Shadab Khan
In the first match of the much anticipated Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan steamrolled Nepal at Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Wednesday, August 30.
Batting first, Pakistan wilted under pressure after losing their openers, who struggled to middle the ball.
However, Babar Azam had other plans, finding the gaps in the middle overs. The no. 3 willow-wielder batted beautifully and laid a solid platform for the middle-order batters to put up a dominating total.
Babar was well supported by middle-order batter Iftikhad Ahmed, who smacked his maiden ODI century.
Sompal Kami, who made his comeback after a long time, picked up two wickets in the last over of the first innings. The Men in Green went on to put up a domineering total of 342/6 in 50 overs.
In reply, Nepal never looked comfortable in the chase, losing wickets at regular intervals.
Sompal Kami ended as the highest run-scorer for Nepal with 28 runs in the middle order. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan grabbed a four-wicket haul to bundle the opposition for 104 runs in 23.4 overs in the opening match of Asia Cup 2023.
Asia Cup 2023 Most Runs List
Babar Azam looked in complete control of the game, smacking his 19th ODI century in just 102 innings, leading the batting charts.
Ifitkhar Ahmed smacked his maiden ODI century to settle for the second spot on the table.
Rizwan, the keeper-batter, amassed 44 runs to bag the third rank.
Nepalese batters Sompal Kami and Aarif Sheikh bagged the fourth and fifth spots with 28 and 26 runs, respectively.
Asia Cup 2023 Most Wickets List
Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan disturbed the Nepal middle and lower middle order with his four-wicket haul to grab the top spot on the bowling chart.
Following him is Haris Rauf, who scalped the wickets of Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami in the middle overs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi stunned the Nepal top-order batters Kushal Bhurtel and Rohit Paudel in the powerplay overs, bagging two wickets.
Nepal pacer Sompal Kami settled for the fourth rank, whereas Naseem Shah ranked in the fifth position.