Aima Baig and Trishna Gurung performing in Multan (Posted on X by @0kashw_n0owr)
The 2023 Asia Cup went underway on August 30 with tournament co-hosts Pakistan taking on Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Prior to the match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) organised an opening ceremony in a bid to entertain spectators at the ground.
The ceremony featured performances from Pakistani singer Aima Baig and Nepal’s music giant Trishna Gurung. While the two delivered some of their hit numbers in Multan, the ceremony itself lasted no more than 15 minutes, thus drawing much criticism from fans.
Watch: Excerpt from Asia Cup 2023 opening ceremony
PCB’s Asia Cup 2023 opening ceremony sparks hilarious reactions
A legion of Pakistan fans subsequently took to X (formerly Twitter) and mocked the PCB for their lacklustre arrangement at the stadium. While some users shared hilarious memes to describe the ceremony, others openly criticised the PCB management and even accused the singers of mere lip-syncing in their performances.
Here’s how fans reacted to PCB’s Asia Cup 2023 opening ceremony:
In the meantime, hosts Pakistan were jolted early by Nepal as they slumped to 25-2 in 6.1 overs at one stage. However, captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan steadied the sinking Pakistani ship with counterattacking measures in their defiant 86-run stand.
The partnership came to an end with the second direct hit of the innings, as Rizwan was found short of his ground to leave Pakistan innings at 111-3, which turned into 124-4. At the time of writing, Babar Azam has notched up his 29th fifty in ODI cricket.
 "Aakash Saini")
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