IND vs NEP Asia Cup 2023 Highlights: Nepals' team members congratulate India's Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill for their 10 wickets win in the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Nepal in Pallekele, Sri Lanka on Monday, Sep. 4. (AP)India vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 Highlights: Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first against Nepal in Pallekele. Both teams have made one change in their playing XI from their last respective matches against Pakistan. Former India fast bowler Javagal Srinath is officiating in his 250th ODI as match referee.
For India Jasprit Bumrah, who has gone home for the birth of his child, is replaced by Mohammed Shami. Meanwhile, in Nepal’s playing XI Bhim Sharki has replaced Aarif Sheikh. However, rain has played spoilsport so far and the game has witnessed a few stops and starts.
Team News
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami
Nepal Playing XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi
Follow Highlights of IND vs NEP from Pallekele below.
India
147/0 (20.1)Nepal
230 (48.2)India beat Nepal by 10 wickets (D/L method)
Playing against Pakistan and India in the Asia Cup definitely looked farfetched in February when Nepal, which had gained ODI status in 2018, were on the verge of losing it. (AP)
Rain covers are pulled over the pitch as rain stops the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at Pallekele, Sri Lanka. (AP | PTI)
Mohammed Shami (left) during the practice session; Ishan Kishan of India celebrates after scoring fifty. (PTI)
Like Dhoni, Pandya also loves hitting big sixes. Like Dhoni could, he can destroy both spinners and pacers with ease. (AP/Reuters)
So, India have qualified for the Super 4 stages of the Asia Cup, defeating Nepal by 10 wickets in a rain curtailed match on Saturday.
From Rohit Sharma to Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja to Mohammed Siraj, here's the report card of the Indian XI.
Rohit Sharma: "Not really (happy with the knock), some nerves to start with but once I got my eye in, I wanted to get the team home. That was not intentional (the flick-sweep), I wanted to chip it over square leg but the bats these days are so good. When we came here we knew what our World Cup 15 is going to be like, the Asia Cup was not going to give us a better picture because it was only two games. But luckily we got to bat in the first game and bowl in this, so that made it a complete game for us. Still have a lot to work on. Lot of guys coming back from injuries and they need time to get back into the groove. Hardik and Ishan was very good in the last game to get us to that score. The bowling was okay today but the fielding was bad, we need to improve on that."
Shubman Gill: Quite disappointed with the way I got out day before yesterday. Important that I finished it off tonight with Rohit bhai, and we did it. He likes to take the bowlers on aerial, and I like to hit more boundaries than sixes, so we complement each other.
Rohit Paudel: The openers did a good job for us, the middle order could have done better, we were 30 runs short and if the middle order had done well then we could have reached 260-270. Our lower order has been doing a great job and contributing in the last 4-5 months. The conditions were really hard but our bowlers bowled well as the ball was not gripping.
It took another over but India have finally wrapped this up with all 10 wickets in hand. A Shubman Gill boubdary does it. A perfect win with the bat and a perfect outing for the Indian openers, who were in need of them with the big fixtures coming their way. Rohit Sharma and Co walk into the Super 4 stages of the tournament while Nepal will go home without a win but much to be proud about, especially owing to their outing against the Indian bowlers.
Kushal Malla keeps Rohit and Gill at bay for another over, returning just the three runs. Next up, Gulsan Jha is the seventh bowler Nepal have used on the eve, in 19 overs.
Gill, looking to steal another four off a cut shot in the next over, is left disappointed with the execution as it's collected by the fielder at point. Rohit wraps up the over with a cleaner execution of the same shot for four. Five runs needed from four now, overs that is.
Karan KC back into the attack. His largely economical over is spoiled off the last ball as Rohit Sharma stays rooted in his crease to loft one straight over long off for six. India just need 15 runs from the remaining six overs now.
It's Gill's time to raise the bat now. Far too much width offered from Lamichhane and Gill just pulls it down deep square leg for four. Hasn't had the best of times with the bat since IPL 2023 but he'll take today's knock into his stride with the big games right around the corner. There's an lbw appeal against Rohit. Umpire shakes his head. Nepal review it. Not a good one as it's missing the leg stump by quite the margin. 120/0 after 16 overs.
Rohit Sharma with another biggie. Back of a length and back in he goes, deep inside his crease before sleeving up a pull shot that clears the deep mid wicket ropes. 113/0 after 15 overs. 32 more needed from eight overs.
Kushal Malla into the attack and he tosses it up for Gill to advance down the track and clamp it down the ground to beat long off for four. 100 comes up for India. This can be over anytime now. Another solid display from India's favored ODI openers. 101/0 after 14 overs.
Shubman Gill won't let us forget him, won't he? A gifted delivery from Sompal Kami straightaway onto the Indian opener's pads and Gill eases his way into just clipping it down square leg for four.
Rohit is offered a short delivery later in the over and he pounces onto it with a shot that races down the mid wicket boundary for four. That's his fifty, off just 39 deliveries. India, 96/0 after 13 overs.
Another incredible shot out of the Rohit Sharma arsenal today. Looking to scoop/paddle the ball down deep square leg, the Indian skipper changes plans against a slower one from Dipendra Singh as he uses his wrists to whip it instead over the square leg boundary for six. Pure application that instead of the aggressive avatar of his that we've seen more often on the day. 85/0 after 12 overs.
Nepal aren't learning their lesson. All that a well set Rohit Sharma needs is a spinner unable to turn the ball coming at him. Lamichhane is just that at the moment. A half tracker dispatched for four down mid wicket boundary, courtesy of a pull. A slog sweep that goes all the way, more squirer. Another good over for them. 76/0 after 11 overs.
Dipendra Singh Airee, right arm medium, introduced by Nepal into the attack. Starts off well with both the openers set in the middle. Just the three runs conceded off that over and it may be wise for Nepal to keep the spin away from the two batters as much as possible. 64/0 after 10 overs.
Both Indian openers unwilling to pull their foot off the pedal. One over Rohit Sharma gets a couple of slog sweeps in. Another, Shubman Gill dances down the track and dispatches Sandeep Lamichhane for a straight six down the ground. It's a shot he plays oh so well, among the many. 61/0 after nine overs.
50 partnership up between the Indian openers in the eighth over. Another decent over - seven runs off it. After eight, India are 52/0.
Lalit Rajbanshi with an economical over. Just the two runs off it. Nepal bring spin from both ends and Rohit Sharma has broken the shackles. A slogsweep towards mid wicket followed by more of a sweep shot that goes over the fielder stationed squarer at boundary. India, 45/0 after seven.
Short of a length delivery. Gill skips down the track and slaps it through the covers. Rohit also gets in on the act and scoops one over short fine leg for another four. India, 31/0 after five overs.
Both batters start off with a single each. The first delivery of the over - last before the play was halted - was a boundary. Not much of a climb for this batting lineup with all 10 wickets in hand. 19/0 after three overs.
It would've been an absolute shame had the game been called off for the large set of fans of both the teams that have travelled. Finally, the players are back in the middle. The ground staff has to be commended. Rememeber, India are 17/0 in 2.1 overs and need need 128 more runs in 125 balls with 10 wickets in hand.
The umpires have a word with the chief curator and then with the two skippers. Yes. The two teams have been told the revised playing conditions and it will be a 23 over contest and India need 145 to win. Play set to begin at 10:15 pm.
Gautam Gambhir was in the eye of a controversial storm once again after a video of him went viral where the former India cricketer was seen making an obscene gesture towards a group of fans who were apparently chanting the name of a cricketer.
Reacting to the controversy, Gambhir, however, said on Monday that he was reacting to anti-India slogans which were given by some Pakistani fans in the crowd.
"What is shown on social media has no truth in it because people show whatever they want to show. The truth about the video that went viral is that if you raise anti-India slogans and speak about Kashmir then the person before you will obviously react and not smile and leave. There were 2-3 Pakistanis there who were speaking anti-India things and things on Kashmir. So, it was my natural reaction. I can't hear anything against my country. So, that was my reaction," he said.
The two umpires Paul Wilson and Ruchira Palliyaguruge with the update: "There is a slim chance we can get some cricket. According to the curator, he needs 30 minutes. 10 o'clock - they might hand over the ground, we'll have an inspection. We must start the game by 10:20 which will constitute 20 overs for India to bat. If we don't start by 10.20, we won't have a game. 11:36 is the closing time. India's DLS target will be 130 if it gets reduced to a 20-over run chase."
Good news from the venue. The rain has stopped and the ground staff is peeling the covers off.
Just before rain stopped play, Shubman Gill looked in his usual groove.
It's still raining hard in Pallekele. Just as it was half an hour ago. Our man on the ground, Venkata Krishna B, believes there's little chance of the game resuming from here.
Just as we wait for it to stop pelting in Pallekele, here's something for you.
After The Indian Express broke the report for India's 2023 World Cup squad, Pratyush Raj and Rahul Pandey talk about the big talking points in the context of the recent Asia Cup outing against Pakistan.
Players have walked off the field. Rain playing spoilsport yet again....
Shubman Gill gets going with a flurry of boundaries off Sompal Kami. He is dealing in boundaries. Three boundaries in the over for Shubman Gill and all three of them have the same descriptions.
Karan KC runs into bowl to Rohit and in the third ball of the over he wraps him on the pads! loud appeal and umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge says no. Nepal send it upstairs but its missing leg! That is a close shave! Excellent first over from Karan KC. If Nepal keep that level up this is going to be a very tough chase for India. Score after 1 over, IND: 1/0
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are at the crease. Rohit is on strike. Karan KC will open the attack and he starts off with a wide! Not the auspicious start for the Nepalese side.
Siraj gets Rajbanshi and it is all over for Nepal! With this, the Indian pacer becomes the second bowler to complete a three-wicket haul today, after Ravindra Jadeja. Nepal are all out for 230? Will this be a competitve score? Thats really a great batting display from Nepal. Coming back from 104 all out vs Pakistan to 230vs India, is a strong comeback for such a team!
After hitting Siraj for a six, Kami is gone! Nepal received another jolt as Mohammad Shami's pace does the damage. Sompal Kami can't get to his fifty and is gone for 48. He wanted to hit it towards the third man area but the outside edge goes to the right of the keeper, where Kishan dives and takes it. Score after 48 overs, NEP: 229/9
Sompal Kami latches on to this one! It was back of a length delivery and Kami pulls it over deep mid-wicket. Score after 46 overs, NEP: 216/7
Lamichhane makes room and drives past Hardik and gets 2 runs, picks up a brace. Nepal cross 202 in 44 overs. How much will they get from here? Score after 44 overs, NEP: 202/7
Hardik Pandya breaks the 50-run partnership as Nepal lose their seventh wicket in the form of Dipendra Singh. Pandya rolled his arm over on that one and it hit the pads. DRS comes into play but cannot save the batter. Score after 42 overs, NEP: 194/7
Play to resume and no overs lost. Both the teams are out on the field. Hardik Pandya to Dipendra Singh and no run. So will the wet bowl cause problems? Let us see
Covers come off as rain stops. Umpires Paul Wilson and Ruchira Palliyaguruge are out for inspection.
The weather forecast for Monday’s Asia Cup fixture between India and Nepal looked glim with 65 percent chances of rain With Colombo, the venue for the Super 4 stages, also witnessing heavy rain over the last 72 hours, discussions are underway in the Asian Cricket Council to look at other cities as Plan B. Dambulla, which is situated in the dry zone, was seen as a safer option, it is understood that floodlight works are underway and hence it has been ruled out of hosting the Super 4. The other options are to keep the tournament going in Pallekele itself or take it to Hambantota. (READ MORE ON THE REPORT BY VENKATA KRISHNA B)
Play stopped due to rain. Almost the entire ground is covered now! Score after 37.5 overs, NEP: 178/6
Shardul makes a mistake in the deep as Sompal Kami hits one over the first slip area and Thakur, who was in the third man region, overruns it and then realizes his mistake. Score after 37 overs, NEP: 171/6
Dipendra Singh smashes Shami for a FOUR! All that he needed was a little bit of width on offer ! Dipendra Singh was ready on the backfoot and hits it away for a boundary. Once again it has started to drizzle. That brings an end to an expensive over! Score after 36 overs, NEP 168/6
Rain is back again and the groundsmen are ready but wait a minute! They are sent back off the field... again. To and fro they come and go. That has been the mood today! The weather forecast for Monday’s Asia Cup fixture between India and Nepal continues to look glim with 65 percent chances of rain predicted for the afternoon. But for Indian fans it is no worry because Rohit Sharma and Co. are set to qualify for Super Four in case of a washout against Nepal. Meanwhile, the scoreboard continues to move along. Score after 34 overs, NEP: 151/6
Siraj goes full and wide outside the off and Gulsan Jha goes for the drive but finds the outside edge. Keeper Ishan Kishan takes it happily. Gulshan departs making 23 runs of 35 balls. How much runs Nepal would score against India? Drinks are on the field now. Score after 32 overs, NEP: 145/6
WICKET! Aasif Sheikh departs and Virat Kohli takes the catch. Siraj gets his first scalp of the game. It was the outside edge and Kohli does redeem himself. The weather is becoming gloomier and the skies look darker Score after 30 overs, NEP: 134/5
Aasif Sheikh scores his 10th ODI fifty off 88 balls with 7 boundaries. Aasif lifts his bat as he scores 50 off 88 balls with seven 4s. He was offered a life and he has managed to make most of the reprieve. However, he has played some good pull shots and cut shots and always had time to execute these shots. Score after 28 overs, NEP: 123/4
Ravindra Jadeja completes his seventh over and gives away just two runs. Watch out Jadeja spun a web around the Nepal batters below. Score after 26 overs, NEP: 111/4
After Kuldeep's maiden, Jadeja continues and Aasif Sheikh rotates strike straightaway for a single. The 3rd ball is mined for 3 by Gulsan Jha. 2 more runs from this over. NEP 108/4 after 24 overs
Jadeja with the over and jadeja with the wicket. The spinner is cutting through Nepal's middle order and pegging them back. Kushal Malla tries to go after a fuller delivery and has just given it to Siraj at the edge of the circle. NEP 102/4 after 22 overs
Kuldeep Yadav continues and after acouple of quiet deliveries, Aasif Sheikh gets a gap and smacks a boundary off the fourth ball. NEP 99/3 after 21 overs
Jadeja continues the 20th over and gives away 3 runs from the first 2 deliveries as the Nepal batters rapidly rotate strike. Run out check by the umpire but the batter is comfortably in. And gone next ball!!!! Rohit Paudel edges and Rohit in the slips takes an instinctive catch!! NEP 93/3 after 20 overs
Kuldeep Yadav in to bowl the 19th over and he strikes!! Aasif Sheikh has been given out by the onfield umpire!!! And they review. And it proves to be fruitful as ball tracking shows the wickets missing. NEP 89/2 after 19 overs
Jadeja will continue and Nepal captain Rohit Paudel on strike. Starts with 2 runs and the next 5 balls yields a brace more. Nepal slow and steady. NEP 89/2 after 18 overs.
Shardul continues and Aasif Sheikh takes a cjance, gets lucky and has a streaky boundary. The fourth ball is played with more intent and that also gets a boundary. Lovely stroke. NEP 85/2 after 17 overs
Jadeja in to bwol the 16th over and the Nepal batters look to be in no mood to take chances against the spinner and just as i was writing this, Bhim Sharki gets an inside edge and it's played on to the stumps. NEP 77/2 after 16 overs
Hardik Pandya keeps it tight! Meanwhile, here is a look at India's catch efficiency record and this is certainly not a good reading. Even today they have been below par! Ravindra Jadeja, left arm orthodox, comes into the attack. Score after 13 overs, NEP: 67/1
Edged and gone! The opening stand breaks! Shardul Thakur provides the breakthrough. Bhurtel poking his bat at one that was outside off and he pays the price for it. Faint outside edge and Ishan Kishan does not make any mistake and gathers it. Rohit Sharma heavs a sigh relief. Score after 10 overs, NEP: 65/1
Aasif Sheikh takes on this short ball and gets a four and the next is hit towars fine leg for four. Sparkling batting from the minnows against the heavyweights. Score after 8 overs, NEP: 42/0
Bhurtel smashes a SIX! off Siraj who bowled at 140kph! It was banged in short, not much bounce and Bhurtel pulls it over fine leg and out of the ground. WHAT A SHOT! Score after 6 overs, NEP: 33/0