Asia Cup: Perfect start for us ahead of India clash, says Babar Azam

Pakistan warmed up for the big clash against India with an emphatic 238-run win over minnows Nepal in the opening game of the Asia Cup in Mulltan on Wednesday.

Captain Babar Azam notched his 19th ODI hundred and Iftikhar Ahmed smashed 109 off 71 balls as Pakistan started their campaign with a bang.

Babar’s 151 off 131 deliveries and his double-century fifth-wicket stand with Iftikhar provided Pakistan a strong total of 342-6 after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat in the Group A game.

Nepal, making their first appearance in the Asia Cup, was bowled out for 104 in 23.4 overs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah sliced through the top-order with the new ball and then Shadab Khan mopped the tail with 4-27.

"I'm satisfied (with the bowling performance). Pacers started well, spinners struck too. This game was good preparation for the India game because it gave us confidence. We want to give 100% every match, hope to do that there as well," Babar said after the match.

Afridi lived up to his reputation of picking up early wickets in white-ball cricket when he had Kushal Bhurtel (8) caught behind and then pinned captain Rohit Paudel plumb leg before wicket off the next delivery.

Naseem then found a thick outside edge of Aasif Sheikh’s (5) bat as Nepal slipped to 14-3 inside the first two overs. Top-scorer Sompal Kami (28) and Aarif Shaikh (26) combined in a 59-run stand before express fast bowler Haris Rauf removed both batters in successive overs and Shadab picked up four wickets in quick time.

Earlier, Nepal ran a few jitters in the Pakistan ranks when Fakhar Zaman (14) edged Karan Khatri Chhetri while Imam-ul-Haq couldn’t beat a strong throw of Paudel from mid-on and got run-out for 5.

But these early setbacks didn’t deter the confidence of top-ranked batter Babar, who first added 86 with Mohammad Rizwan (44) and then annihilated Nepal spin and pace with a brisk partnership of 214 off 131 balls with Iftikhar.

Rizwan was run-out off another superlative fielding effort of Dipendra Singh Airee close to the halfway of the innings before Babar and Iftikhar routed Nepal’s inexperienced bowlers. Babar took his time to reach his half-century off 72 balls while Iftikhar was more attacking before raising his maiden ODI hundred off 67 balls.

Nepalese fielders were brilliant in patches, but had several fielding lapses in hot and humid weather of Multan. Imam was dropped at gully by Aarif Sheikh just before he was run-out while Babar got reprieve soon after he had completed his half-century. Nepalese fielders in the outfield fumbled several times and conceded boundaries.

Babar reached his 19th Test hundred in his 102nd innings — the quickest in ODI.

"When I went in, I played myself in for a couple of balls. Ball wasn't coming on, pitch was two-paced. Rizwan and I built a partnership and see what happened. Then, there were different phases," Babar said.

"Sometimes, Rizwan gave me confidence and vice-versa. When Iftikhar came, we played different cricket. He can struggle a bit before he gets set. I asked him to play his natural game. After two-three fours, he was comfortable. He smacked it after 40 overs."

Fast bowlers Sompal Kami (2-85) and leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (1-69) were smacked for boundaries at will that included a couple of one-handed sixes by Babar at backward square leg.

Both batters dominated the latter half of the innings as Pakistan smacked 129 runs off the last 60 balls before Kami picked up the consolation wickets of Babar and Shadab Khan in the last over. Babar holed out at mid-off and Shadab got clean bowled off the final delivery while attempting a ramp shot.

The Asian Cricket Council is organising this year’s tournament in two countries — Pakistan and Sri Lanka — after India refused to travel to Pakistan because of political tensions between the two countries.

The ACC accepted Pakistan’s hybrid model, according to which India, placed in Group A, will play all their matches in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka will host nine games, including the final on Sept. 17, while Pakistan will host four games.

Group B includes Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and all three teams will play at least one game in Pakistan.

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