The Pakistan Cricket Board has revealed the lineup for the Asia Cup 2023 opening match against Nepal. The exciting game is set to take place at the enchanting Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan. Taking charge as the captain is the talented Babar Azam, with the experienced Shadab Khan serving as his vice-captain.
In the opening encounter, we’re going to witness the pacers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, entering the field, while Mohamad Rizwan takes on the role of wicketkeeper-batsman.
The road of Pakistan cricket has been a rough and lengthy one since the tragic militant attack on the Sri Lankan squad in Lahore back in March 2009.
The aftermath of the incident resulted in Pakistan facing a big problem, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other member nations were hesitant to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.
Recently, Pakistan reached the top spot in the ODI rankings, due to a comprehensive clean sweep in the ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. Their forthcoming encounter against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023 could be a comfortable win, considering Nepal’s debut in the tournament.
Among Nepal’s players, just two – leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane and all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee – have experience in T20 leagues. While Lamichhane has participated in the Pakistan Super League, the rest of the team is very inexperienced with the playing conditions.
Nepal got ODI status in 2018 and presently holds the 15th rank in the 50-over format. This demonstrates their proximity to their aim of being part of the 14-team 2027 World Cup.
Nepal’s team came to Pakistan a week ago, adding interest to how they will fare against a powerful opponent that is among the favorites to win the Asia Cup. Pakistan is slated to play only two home matches, with the remainder taking place in Sri Lanka, including the high-stakes contests against India. The encounter against Nepal gives an excellent chance for Pakistan’s players to refine their talents.
Given the predicted hot and humid weather, both teams will largely rely on their spinners to make an influence on the game.
Pakistan Playing XI against Nepal: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
Comments 1