New Delhi: The men in blue achieved a comfortable win by 10 wickets in their ‘Group A’ do-or-die clash against the debutante Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023.
A clinical performance with the bat from #TeamIndia! 👌 👌
Captain Rohit Sharma & Shubman Gill scored cracking unbeaten fifties to seal India’s 1⃣0⃣-wicket win (via DLS) over Nepal 🙌 🙌
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/i1KYESEMV1 #AsiaCup2023 | #INDvNEP pic.twitter.com/iOEwQQ26DW
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 4, 2023
The first innings of the match, however, was not as comfortable for India as their run-chase was. Indian bowlers were given a pretty tough time by the enthusiastic Nepalese team.
Nepal, who was bundled out on 104 against Pakistan in their first match, was expected to meet the same fate in the second match.
However, the god of luck seemed to be favouring Nepal as India dropped three catches inside the first three overs. Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan, all dropped on catch, each helping Nepal etch up a 65-run opening stand.
After the match, India appreciated their opponent’s gutsy efforts by felicitating them with medals.
In a video shared by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) after the match, Indian players can be seen presenting the players from their opposite team with medals for their impressive show on the field. Virat Kohli presented the medal to Aasif Sheikh, whose catch Virat dropped earlier in the match.
Watch the video below:
In the world of cricket, heroes rise not only through their batting and bowling, but also through their sportsmanship and character. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the @BCCI @imVkohli @hardikpandya7, and the extraordinary Indian cricket team for the time together. pic.twitter.com/RCaEF0TxwS
— CAN (@CricketNep) September 5, 2023
Earlier, before getting outclassed by Indian openers Rohit Sharma (74*) and Shubhman Gill (67*) masterclass, Nepal, with the help of India’s wobbly fielding efforts, Aasif Sheikh’s (58) half-century and some incredible cameos by Sompal Kami (48), Kushal Bhurtel (38) and Dipendra Singh (29), posted a challenging total of 230 on the board.
Indian spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were India’s best bowlers for the night, with three wickets each. Md. Shami, Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur all took one wicket each.
Interestingly, Nepal got the ODI status in 2018, and this was their first-ever encounter with their neighbours at the international circuit.
