Before Asia Cup opener against Nepal, Babar says Pakistan needs to fulfill expectations
The tournament that begins in Multan on Wednesday, to be played in a ‘hybrid model’, involves five teams that are quite familiar with the conditions expected during the World Cup, and whoever corners the continental bragging rights will go into the mega event in India with renewed vigour. (READ MORE)
Pakistan vs Nepal Predicted XI
Pakistan Predicted XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
Nepal Predicted XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi
It was hot out there, but Sri Lanka was hot as well. 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. The platform was setup for me by the pacers, Shaheen and Naseem and then Haris Rauf was amazing.
And LBW!!! The finger goes up and Rajbanshi takes the review. Delaying the inevitable I feel. And yes, it's all over. Shadab gets his fourth and Pakistan win by 238 runs.
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Shadab back and Shadab with the wicket again!!! Nepal almost done and dusted. Malla went for a big hit and plays it straight to Iftikhar Ahmed. NEP 104/9 after 23.2 overs
Nawaz in to bowl the next over and new batter Karan KC plays a classy cut shot to welcome him with a boundary. After 2 dots, Karan takes a single to go off strike. The 5th ball is hit for a six by Kushal Malla. What a big hit that was!!! 100 up for Nepal. NEP 103/8 after 23 overs
AND ANOTHER!!! In the same over. Pakistan and Shadab are keen to wrap this up quickly. Lamichhane had no idea and the googly does its job. NEP 91/8 after 21.5 overs
Shadab Khan will continue and starts off with a wide and a dot. And the third delivery gets him a wicket!! Jha looked to sweep and Zaman running towards it!! Dives and takes a brilliant catch. Nepal are imploding. NEP 91/7 after 21.3 overs
The 20th over yielded just 2 runs as Nawaz is brought in for Rauf for the 21st. Starts with 2 dots while the third is cut by Dipendra for a single. And he strikes in his very first over. Through the gate and it absolutely bamboozles Dipendra. NEP 90/6 after 20.5 overs
Rauf continues and Jha takes a single to start this over off. Dipendra sees off the next two balls for no runs while taking a single off the fourth. And Rauf is down on the ground as the physio is on the field to check the situation. The bowler looks absolutely knackered. He's up again and looks ready to continue. Just a single off the last delivery. NEP 86/5 after 19 overs
Shadab back to bowl and starts with 2 dots. Jha takes a single to rotate strike off the third and the next 2 deliveries are also dots. Nothing off the last ball as well. NEP 83/5 after 18 overs
Haris Rauf continues and starts with back to back dots as Sompal is content to only defend. The next ball is left alone by the batter while the fourth is also navigated. And Rauf has gotten the breakthrough!! Again!! Sends both set batters out.. Excellent catch by Rizwan behind the stumps as grasps the leading edge. NEP 82/5 after 17 overs
Shadab in to bowl the next over and Gulsan Jha navigates the first two balls for zero runs. The next ball is hit high in the airrrr and it claers the rope for a six!! beats him and it all ends up from the last delivery. NEP 82/4 after 16 overs
After drinks, Rauf is bavck in the attack and starts with 2 dots. Make that 3 as the Aarif breaks his bat defending a yorker. And he's gone!!! Clean bowled!! The middle stump is knocked off. NEP 73/4 after 14.4 overs
The Pakistan bowler is generating seriously good pace here. The Nepal batters are struggling to make the bat contact with the ball. There have been plenty of plays and misses. Intestingly the ball has started to wobble after it gets past the bat. A special mention to Nepal batter Sompal who is looking technically sound with the bat he is playing sublime shots against this raw pace attack. After 13.3 overs Nepal 72/3
Now it is getting into frustrating territory for Pakistani bowlers as these two Nepal batters are throwing punches back with some sumptuous boundaries. The faster the ball is coming it appears to be going faster to the boundary as well. A valuable partnership between Sompal and Aasif at this point in time. After 11.2 overs Nepal 59/3
Nepal's powerplay was not too different from Pakistan's in the first innings in terms of runs. However, the problem is the scoreboard pressure and the difference in the quality of bowling. The opening bowlers have done stunning work so far and it is going to get difficult from here on as the Nepal batters will be facing Haris Rauf and the guile of Shadab Khan in the middle overs. After 10 overs Nepal 47/3
Aarif and Sompal have weathered the initial storm and now are batting with freedom and playing some sublime shots. The ball has stopped moving and they are now capitalizing on the initial hard work they did. They will be looking to continue this good work for longer. After 9.1 overs Nepal 46/3
The ball has stopped swinging from both ends. Anything that is being pitched up is coming off nicely onto the bat and Nepal batters are playing some sublime drives here. It seems like the initial spark that was there is now gone. It might be an opportunity for Babar Azam to bring a change in the bowling at least from one end. After 8 overs Nepal 42/3
The way things have panned in this game so far the winner seems to be pretty evident. The best thing for Nepal to do would be to bat their quota of overs and let the batters spend time in the middle draw experience and come better prepared next time when they face an attack of this quality. After 6.1 overs Nepal 30/3
Though he has picked up two wickets and is bowling very quickly Shaheen is struggling to get his line right today. He has been drifting down the pads throughout his spell so far. Nepal batters on the other hand are not being able to make use of those poor deliveries down the leg side. After 5 overs Nepal 26/3
This has been hostile fast bowling from Pakistan. Shaheen is swinging the ball from one end and Naseem Shah is troubling the batters with sheer pace from the other end. This is one of the lethal new ball attacks to face for the best of the openers for Nepal batters it is the toughest test they would have faced to date. After 3.3 overs Nepal 18/3
It was a poor shot from the opener. He drove a delivery that was not full enough and neither did he have the intention to send it to the boundary In the end it was nothing shot that took the outside edge for a simple catch to Iftikhar. Brilliant start from Pakistan this is already looking bad for Nepal. After 2.1 overs Nepal 18/3
The left-arm bowler first got Bhurtel and then skipper Rohit. He started poorly by delivering a few down the legside which the batters sent them for boundaries however, after Bhurtel was starngled down the legside Shaheen got his line and length right the very next ball. Poor start from Nepal in the run-chase. After 1.3 overs Nepal 14/2
Century is an achievement for a player, obviously I am very happy. Ball was gripping when I went in, so you need to give time for yourself to get set. Babar is a great player, World No. 1 player. It's an awesome feeling to bat with him. He rotates strike very well and we discussed about scoring a boundary when we get a loose ball. The wicket got better to bat on as the innings progressed.
The hosts have scored 129 runs in the last 10 overs of the innings which changed the complexion of the innings. Nepal looked to be in the game with the ball for a long time however, once Iftikhar started to change gears and Babar went past 100 the game turned on its head. It is an uphill task for Nepal to chase this runs given the quality of bowlers Pakistan have but interesting things do happen in cricket stay with us for all the action in the second innings. Also special mention to Karan KC who was fabulous on the day with the ball in hand for Nepal and he might be the one to watch out for in the next games.
It has been a stunning knock from the batter. He did come in when Pakistan was in a bit of trouble however, he played a counter-attacking innings right from the word go. He not only supported Babar Azam he also was successful in putting the pressure back on the Nepalis. This is a massive score by Pakistan now on this wicket. PAK 337/4 after 49.2 overs
Both Sompal and Karan are bowling wide yorkers here in the death but those too are not working. The batters are swinging their bats at everything some of them are finding the middle and going for sixes and a few are getting the outside edges for the boundary. This is some brutal batting from Pakistan sending warning sides to every side in the tournament about what they can do in the final over the innings. PAK 312/4 after 47.5 overs
Babar has started to play some bizarre shots now. Very unlike him, he is smoking the ball into all parts of the ground. He is hitting the ball with one hand he is playing tennis shots to short-pitch balls it looks like he wants to get a boundary with every ball. This is brutal hitting from Babar for the last 15 minutes or so the Nepal team is looking shellshocked now. PAK 295/4 after 46.1 overs
Both batters now thinking of getting a boundary for every ball. Sompal has gone for 20 runs in his last over a few more of these big overs Pakistan can get to around the 330 mark. With both Babar and Itikhar going the way they are and the way they are hitting the ball and hitters to follow they might be even looking to get around that 350 mark. Nepal is now losing the plot in this inning. PAK 275/4 after 45 overs
It has been a sublime inning from the Pakistan skipper. He has played some fantastic shots throughout the innings. He looked in the zone right from the first ball he faced. Though there was a tricky period in between when wickets were falling from the other end he kept his cool and continued to bat. A brilliant knock from the captain and he is leading from the front. PAK 228/4 after 42 overs
Babar is stuck on 97. He played very well so far it was a very subtle approach to the innings he took his time initially and then slowly changed the gears after going past 50. He will be looking to get to that three figures mark and continue to push on from there further as well. PAK 213/4 after 40 overs
The leg-spinner has been the one bowler who has been able to turn the ball on this surface. The finger spinners have bowled well but they could never get the same amount of turn Lamichhane has been getting. It has been an impressive spell of bowling from him today. He kept the batters honest and bowled some brilliant deliveries in between them. PAK 204/4 after 38.1 overs
Though it looked like an excellent wicket for batting it has played a bit slowly. It may get a touch quicker under the lights. The dew factor is one thing that both the batters have to account for in the evening. If they can post about 300 runs it will be a winable total for Pakistan. For that Babar needs to stay till the end with a mammoth score next to his name. PAK 195/4 after 36.5 overs
This has been a more aggressive partnership than the previous ones. There seems to be an urgency that has crept into the batters post the drinks break. Nepal bowlers too are looking a bit tired under the heat. They need to be careful now more than at any point in the innings as things could south very quickly here and there are a lot of overs still left in the game. PAK 180/4 after 35 overs
Babar Azam has changed gears since his half-century but the problem is the batters from the other end are not giving him the support. It is hot and humid and Babar is slowly starting to show signs of tiredness. He needs a partner at the other end who will stay with him for a little longer so that the game is nicely set up for the finishers. Nepal's skipper is bringing in the seamers back into the attack to get breakthroughs. If they can pick Iftikhar or Babar here they will be into lesser quality batters with still a long way to go in the innings. PAK 157/4 after 33 overs
Amidst all the chaos at the other end, Babar continued to bat well. He looked good right from the first ball despite the surface being on the slower side he played cleverly and chose his shots nicely. But the time has come for him to attack the bowling now and put some pressure back on the Nepali bowlers. PAK 137/4 after 29.2 overs
Sandeep Lamichane picks up Agha Salman. The right-hander tried to reverse sweep the ball and ended up giving a simple catch to the fine-leg fielder Bhurtel. Pakistan is now in trouble. They might consider counterattacking as they have been so far just sitting on the backfoot and letting the bowlers make mistakes which has not happened hence the low run rate and increased pressure. PAK 126/4 after 28.1 overs
It has been the story of Pakistan's innings so far the batters look good for a bit and then they throw their wickets away hence there has been no momentum in the innings. Credit must be given to Nepal bowlers as they are continuing to get through their overs by bowling dots. Pakistan might have to look to change their batting approach now as it seems like the innings have stagnated at this point in time. PAK 122/3 after 27 overs
It is one of the bizarre runouts we will see in the tournament. It was too casual from Rizwan a very soft dismissal just as we were speaking about Nepal's poor ground fielding that was excellent game awareness from Dipendra with the direct hit. As for Rizwan who is very poor, he was ball-watching instead of trying to get into the crease just when Pakistan looked like they were getting on the driver's seat another one bites the dust. PAK 112/3 after 24.1 overs
The Nepal team has bowled on this flat wicket well so far. Though they have not been attacking with their lines and lengths they have been with their fields and their bowlers have bowled with discipline. There have been a few iffy moments on the field with their catching and ground fielding but all in all very inspired performance so far. PAK 106/2 after 23.1 overs
Nepal skipper Rohit has chosen to operate with spin from both ends and it seems to be working as though they are not picking wickets they are not giving away runs either. There has been intent from both Babar and Rizwan to break the shackles but the bowling has been excellent from spinners. PAK 86/2 after 21.1 overs
It has been good from both the senior batters. They got together when Pakistan was in trouble and have played sensibly they are dealing with Nepali spinners well. Rotating the striking nicely and punishing the odd poor delivery for a boundary. PAK 84/2 after 19 overs
Lamichhane on to bowl the next over. A nice tidy little over so far as the Pakistan batters are pretty cautiosu at the moment. Just 3 from this over. PAK 78/2 after 17 overs
Dipendra Singh in to bowl the 16th and gives away 2 from the first two balls. The next 2 are dots and the last two deliveries yield just a single. PAK 75/2 after 16 overs
Lamichhane in to bowl his second over and Babar takes a single to rotate strike. The next two balls yield just a single. Bad fielding off the next ball turns what should have been just a single into a boundary. PAK 72/2 after 15 overs
Rajbanshi continues and starts with 2 dot balls as Babar navigates. The 3rd delivery is driven off sweeper cover to get a single. The next two balls are dots and the over ends with another. PAK 65/2 after 14 overs. Time for drinks.
Lamichhane into the attack and the overpitched first delivery is smashed for a four by Rizwan. The 3ed ball is wideish and Rizwan strokes it past a diving short cover to get 2. PAK 64/2 after 13 overs
Rajbanshi in to bowl the 12th over and after a arather quiet start to the over, Rizwan flicks the 4th off his pads for a boundary. PAK 56/2 after 12 overs
It has been a mixed start for Pakistan as they started well but after a spell of a few minutes midway through the powerplay they lost two quick wickets which put the hosts on the back foot. It has been rebuilding jobs since then from Babar Azam and Rizwan. They are the best batters in the side and Nepal needs to break this partnership. The Nepal skipper might also consider bringing in their ace bowler Sandeep Lamichane into the attack now. After 10.3 overs Pakistan 45/2
The skipper has decided to bring in the first bowling change as he went to Gulsan who did not start well at all. He started off with a couple of wides and then bowled a no-ball the pressure was evidently on the 17-years. He has height on his side and so far this wicket has assisted a bit of extra bounce. He might get better as he gets deeper into his spell. After 9 overs Pakistan 38/2
This is good bowling from Karan KC right from ball one he looked to hard lengths on this surface. He bowled nice lines keeping the batters honest. From time to time he also mixed up his top off the off-stump deliveries with bumpers keeping the batters aware he can do that as well. Nepal has created nice pressure here in the first part of the game and they need to continue it. After 8 overs Pakistan 32/2
Both openers are now back in the dugout for Pakistan. Imam played a drive hard straight to the mid-on fielder and took his chance it was an unnecessary single nevertheless he went for it Nepal Skipper Rohit hit the ball directly and the moment the stumps were broken Imam was frustrated he knew he was gone and there was nobody to blame than himself. Rizwan walks into the middle. After 7 overs Pakistan 29/2
Karan KC creates the opening breakthrough. Fakhar tried to drive a delivery which was not full enough and got an outside edge as a result wicket-keeper Sheikh took a good catch diving to his left. Karan has bowled well and has reaped the rewards skipper Babar Azam walks into the middle. After 6 overs Pakistan 25/1
Imam tried to slash a delivery outside the off stump but got an edge and the ball flew straight to the point fielder which he dropped. Yes, It travelled quickly but it should have been taken. If Nepal wants to improve in cricket and become a better team these are the kind of mistakes they need to avoid. After 5.1 overs Pakistan 21/0
Both Nepal bowlers are not looking for any swing. They are looking to dry up the runs and force the errors from batters. But both Fakhar and Imam are quality batters and if they are not picked up early in the piece they will make the opposition pay. After 3.2 overs Pakistan 11/0
The other seamer has started well. Unlike Airee, Karan looked to bowl tight lines and lengths which put the batters under check in the over. There seems to be an acceptance among Nepal bowlers that it is better to bowl defensive lines rather than trying to bowl attacking lines and go for runs. After 2.2 overs Pakistan 11/0
The Nepal new ball bowler drifted a couple of times on to the pads of Imam which he flicked elegantly for a couple of boundaries in the very first over. The idea of pitching the ball was up right from the bowler but the line was not. And there seems to be not a lot of moment on offer from one end we have to see if the other bowler can get something. After 1.1 overs Pakistan 9/0
The weather is a bit hot but looks perfect for playing cricket. The wicket looks excellent for batting. Pakistan has some serious batting depth and quality in the lineup and it is going to be tough work for Nepal. Initial overs will be crucial for Nepal seamers to see if there is any swing on offer with the new ball and create few chances if there is not much then it is going to be a tough afternoon.
Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh(w), Rohit Paudel(c), Aarif Sheikh, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi