PAK vs NEP 1st Match – Group A Match Prediction

Betting Tips

PAK vs NEP Match Prediction

Pakistan To Win the Match, 1.04

The 16th edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to begin next week, with 6 teams battling it out to establish supremacy over the continent. Pakistan will host Nepal for the first match of the series on Wednesday at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan vs Nepal Head-to-Head Record

This is the first time that both teams will be facing each other in an ODI contest.

Pakistan vs Nepal Live-Streaming and Broadcast

Fans can watch this match on the Star Sports Network. One can also live-stream this contest on Disney+ Hotstar App.

PAK vs NEP Team Previews

Pakistan

The last time that Pakistan won the Asia Cup was back in 2012. They have finished as runners-up twice since then, including the last season. But the ultimate prize has eluded them for more than a decade. They are fielding a strong squad this season and have a real shot of winning the title for the 3rd time.

Pakistan has had a good run in the ODIs this year, winning 6 of the 9 matches they have played. They are currently ranked the second-best team in the ODIs according to the latest ICC rankings. Led by the indomitable Babar Azam, the team boasts of a strong batting line-up, including talents like Imam Ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Rizwan.

All-rounders including Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Iftikhar Ahmed add depth to their batting and provide additional spin options, which will be a big advantage on the Multan pitch. Pakistan will miss the experience of Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez in the middle order. The team is lacking a specialist spinner as Usama Mir doesn’t have much experience on the international stage.

Its pace attack however is arguably the best among all teams. Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the attack here. He has been among the best bowlers in limited overs format during the month. He will partner with Naseem Shah as a new ball bowler, while Haris Rauf is likely to be the 3rd seamer.

Nepal

Nepal had an excellent run during the 2023 ACC Men’s Premier Cup to finish at the top of Group A. They then went on to defeat Kuwait in the semifinals, and UAE in the Finals to qualify for their first-ever Asia Cup appearance.

Drawn in the same group as Asian giants Pakistan and India, Nepal faces an uphill task and will look to gain an early advantage.

Nepal has played plenty of cricket in the past year and has received some success too. The team made it through to the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe where they defeated the likes of USA and UAE and also did well against much stronger teams including the hosts and Ireland.

They will now look to perform even better in this tournament. The retirement of Gyanendra Malla does leave a massive void in the batting line-up but that will provide youngsters including Bhim Sharki and Pratis GC to prove their mettle.

Kushal Bhurtel will be a vital cog at the top of the order along with Aarif Sheikh, while Rohit Paudel, Aasif Sheikh, and Dipendra Singh Airee will lend heft to the middle order. Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane are the two most experienced bowlers on the squad and will have the support of Gulsan Jha, Kishore Mahato, and Mousom Dakal.

PAK vs NEP Toss Prediction

It is an even record between teams batting first and second on this ground. However, 3 of the last 5 matches on this ground have been won while batting first. We, therefore, think that the winner of the toss will opt to bat first.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch at Multan is batting-friendly and has seen some high-scoring encounters in the past. The team batting first will look to get as close to the 300-run mark as possible. The quicker bowlers need to be good with their line and length or else they will be taken for runs. The surface does slow down a bit in the second innings and the spinners will get some turn.

We can expect plenty of sunshine and the temperature will remain in the high 30s.

PAK vs NEP Betting Tips

While Nepal has done well in recent times, they are no match for Pakistan in terms of strength or experience. There is really no comparison between the two teams and we think Pakistan should be able to win quite easily. The betting value in this match may not be too much but it is still worth a punt!

Bet on Pakistan to win.