Pakistan will face Nepal in the opening match of the 2023 Asia Cup to be played at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on 30th August at 3.00 PM IST. Babar Azam-led side will look to start the tournament on a winning note and continue their winning form as they whitewashed Afghanistan 3-0 in the recently concluded ODI series played in Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, Nepal will be featured in Asia Cup history for the first time and will look to showcase its talent against Asian powerhouse Pakistan. Pakistan is the hot favourite for winning this opening match.
Both teams have good quality players who can change the course of the game with their skills. Pakistan and Nepal will be meeting for the first time in international cricket.
Here we look at the Top 3 Key Battles Between Pakistan and Nepal
- Shaheen Shah Afridi vs Kushal Bhurtel
Pakistan premier fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will look to begin the innings by providing early breakthroughs. His ability to trouble the batters makes him a dangerous bowler to face.
Kushal Bhurtel is an explosive opening batter for Nepal and plays attacking shots that put the opponent bowlers under pressure. It will be an interesting battle as Shaheen Shah Afridi looks to do the early damage and pick the wicket of Kushal Bhurtel.
The pitch at Multan is a batting paradise as Afridi would look to dismiss Bhurtel while Nepal’s opener would be hoping to provide Nepal with a flying start.
- Sandeep Lamichhane vs Babar Azam
The leg spinner from Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane is a top-quality bowler who can trouble batters around the world. He will be making a comeback into the squad and would look to pick wickets putting pressure on Pakistani batters.
On the other hand, Pakistan captain Babar Azam would look to continue his decent form and keep away the threat of Nepal’s frontline spinner. Lammichhane can dismiss top-quality batters and would be looking to do the same if he gets a chance to bowl at Babar Azam.
- Karan KC vs Fakhar Zaman
Karan KC is a pace bowler all-rounder and clocks quick speed putting the batters under pressure. He has played a total of 46 ODI matches (46 innings) picking up 73 wickets at an economy of 5.25 runs per over.
One of the openers Fakhar Zaman struggled in the recently concluded ODI series against Afghanistan. He would be looking to score runs against Karan KC and provide a solid foundation for Pakistan to build a huge total. Karan KC will be eager to bowl at Fakhar Zaman and dismiss him cheaply in the initial overs, otherwise, it would be difficult to stop the Pakistan opener.
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