August 31: Nepal lost to co-hosts Pakistan by 238 runs in the tournament opener of the Asia Cup 2023 at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Pakistan on Wednesday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, captain and world number one batter Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed scored hundreds as Pakistan posted a mighty total of 342-6.

In response, Nepal, making their Asia Cup debut and playing against Pakistan for the first time in any format, were all out for a mere 104 in 23.4 overs.

It was Nepal’s biggest defeat by runs in an ODI match. Nepal's previous biggest defeat came against the West Indies when they lost the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier match by 101 runs on June 22.

It was also Nepal’s second lowest total in an ODI match, after their 103-run total against the United Arab Emirates during the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 on March 21 last year.

Pakistan had a shaky start to their innings, losing openers Fakhar Zaman and Iman-ul-Haq cheaply. Karan KC had Zaman caught behind for 14 in the 5.3 overs and Imam was run out by captain Rohit Paudel the next over.

Pakistan were reeling at 25-2 when Mohammad Rizwan joined Azam and the duo dragged their side to 100 in 22nd over.

But Nepal hit back as Dipendra Singh Airee hit the stumps to run out Rizwan for 44, while Sandeep Lamichhane bowled Agha Salman for 5 to put Pakistan in trouble at 124-4 in the 28th over.

But Azam cracked 14 boundaries and four sixes and Ahmed hit 11 boundaries and four sixes to lead Pakistan’s recovery in style, ransacking 129 in the last 10 overs.

Azam was dropped on 55 when Karan KC let slip away a caught-and-bowled chance and the batter punished the Rhinos, gradually steadying the ship taking 72 balls to reach his fifty, 37 balls to move from 51 to 100 and smashing 51 off the next 22 balls to reach his second 150 in ODIs. It was also Azam’s 19th ODI hundred.

Azam’s 151 off 131 balls was the highest scored by a Pakistani captain in an ODI at home. It was also the second highest individual score in the Asia Cup, behind Virat Kohli’s 183 against Pakistan in 2012.

Azam and Ahmed, who cracked 109 not out off 71 balls, put on a 214-run partnership off 131 balls for the fifth wicket to guide Pakistan to a huge total. It was the highest partnership for any wicket in an ODI in Pakistan and also the highest for Pakistan’s fifth wicket in ODIs.

Ahmed reached his maiden ODI hundred in just 67 balls, becoming the fourth fastest batter to reach a century in the ODI Asia Cup. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi holds the record for fastest ODI Asia Cup century when he reached his hundred off just 53 balls against Bangladesh in 2010. Ahmed's previous best ODI score was 94 not out against New Zealand in Karachi in May this year.

Azam was bowled by Sompal Kami, who took two wickets, in the 49.4 overs.

In response, Nepal lost early wickets showing a lack of experience and temperament against the ODI’s world number one ranked team, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah slicing the top order.

Pacer Afridi removed opener Kushal Bhurtel (8) and captain Rohit Paudel (0) in the successive balls in the first over before Naseem had Bhurtel’s opening partner Aasif Sheikh caught by Ahmed.

Aarif Sheikh scored 26 and Sompal Kami made 28 to start Nepal’s resistance but could not cope with Haris Rauf’s pace for long.

Mohammad Nawaz next sent back Dipendra Singh Airee (3) before Shadab Khan (4-27) cleaned up the tail including the wicket of Gulsan Jha (13), caught by Fakhar Zaman.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh clash in Pallekele, Sri Lanka on Thursday. (Agnecies)