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The 16th edition of the Asia Cup kicked off with a bang as the hosting nation Pakistan registered a whopping 238-run victory over the debutants Nepal. The Men in Green will clash against India in a highly anticipated fixture on September 2 in Kandy. However, the happiness of having a triumphant tournament opener didn’t last long for the hosts as their star pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, got injured in the first match.
In the Pakistan-Nepal game, the left-arm pacer went off the field after discussing with the team physio. However, it is not clear whether it is a severe injury or a nig gle for the Pakistan speedster. The India - Pakistan clash next in line, Afridi’s injury is worrisome for the two-time Asia Cup winners.
Speaking of Afridi’s performance, the 23-year-old has been in red-hot form lately. In the tournament opener, the star pacer bowled five overs and picked up two wickets while conceding 27 runs before walking off the field.
The match started with Pakistan’s skipper, Babar Azam, winning the toss and opting to bat first. At the loss of six wickets, the hosts scored 342 runs and restricted their rivals to 104 in 23.4 overs.
