Rohit remained unbeaten on 74 off 59 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes, while Gill's unbeaten score was 67 off 62 balls, featuring 8 fours and a six
India bounced back to convincingly defeat Nepal with a masterful batting display. They secured a 10-wicket victory on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method and advanced to the next stage of the Asia Cup 2023, while Nepal’s journey in the tournament came to an end. In a departure from their usual strategy, Rohit Sharma, India’s captain, chose to field first after winning the toss, citing the prevailing overhead conditions. India began the match on an unusual note, dropping three catches within the first five overs, granting the Nepali openers multiple lifelines. Aasif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel capitalized on these missed opportunities, forming a resilient opening partnership of 65 runs. Just as India was searching for a breakthrough, Shardul Thakur managed to dismiss the first Nepali batsman in the penultimate ball of the initial Powerplay.
Ravindra Jadeja entered the bowling attack and dismantled Nepal’s middle order, concluding with impressive figures of 10-0-40-3. While wickets tumbled at one end, Aasif Sheikh cautiously crafted his way to a fifty, scoring 58 off 97 balls in a patient innings against a high-quality bowling attack. Although Kuldeep Yadav failed to claim a wicket, he bowled economically, ending with figures of 10-2-34-0. Mohammed Siraj, in his second spell, delivered a fiery performance, securing a couple of crucial wickets.
Read More: ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule
Gulshan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee played decent innings, each crossing the 20-run mark. Sompal Kami emerged as a game-changer for Nepal, launching some powerful blows and building a 50-run partnership with Airee for the 7th wicket. This was followed by a vital stand with Sandeep Lamichhane, adding 34 runs. However, wickets fell rapidly after Kami’s dismissal (48 off 56) in the 48th over. Mohammed Siraj (3/61) claimed the final wicket as Nepal’s innings concluded at 230 runs.
Rain interruptions disrupted both innings, with a more significant interruption occurring during India’s run chase. At 17/0 in 2.1 overs, play was halted for an extended period due to inclement weather. When the chase resumed, it was shortened to a 23-over contest, with India requiring 145 runs for victory. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill took charge, guiding India to a comprehensive win with 17 balls to spare. Both batsmen showcased a wide range of strokes, completing their respective half-centuries. Rohit remained unbeaten on 74 off 59 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes, while Gill’s unbeaten score was 67 off 62 balls, featuring 8 fours and a six. Karan KC delivered an exceptional first over to captain Sharma, troubling him with variations in the ball’s movement. However, for the remainder of the chase, the Indian openers asserted their dominance.
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