Unbeaten fifties from Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma helped India to a comfortable 10-wicket win in a rain-marred game.
Thanks to a heavy rain in the lead- up to the game, the outfield at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was sluggish. The pitch was on the slower side as well. India’s out- contending and catching were indeed sloppier than the conditions as Nepal tallied a respectable 230 before being sailed out in the penultimate over of a must-have- palm Asia Cup clash.
But when it came to a elided run- chase, India’s openers were far from sloppy. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill made a mockery of Nepal’s bowling attack, catching a target of 145 in 23 overs with 17 balls to spare.
Had it not been for the ground staff’s miraculous trouble, a short chase would not have been possible after two heavy cloudbursts in the evening.
But once the chase proceeded , with India starting from 17 for no loss in2.1 overs, Rohit and Shubman were at their indefectible stylish.
While Rohit was at his raiding stylish, especially against the spin, Shubman- who started off with three boundaries before the play was suspended- played the alternate swindle to his captain.
India’s trouble in the fielders was exactly contrary to the opening batters ’ astral performance. Shreyas Iyer at first slip off the ball of the first over of the match to deprive Mohammed Shami- replacing Jasprit Bumrah who has returned home for maternity leave- off a gate off the last ball of the first gate.
Still, it was his mate Kushal Bhurtel’s turn the veritably coming ball with Virat Kohli at covers dropping a dolly to rob Mohammed Siraj of a gate, If Aasif Sheikh was fortunate in the opening over.
In the fifth over, it was Ishan Kishan’s turn to join the adulation cutlet spree as he dropped a dolly off Bhurtel’s blade down the leg. Bhurtel also came into his element and gave his sympathizers further than a many reasons to rejoice.
The highlight of his gem was the hook off Siraj in the sixth over that landed into the parking lot, beyond the lawn bank. Shardul Thakur’s golden arm did the trick in the 10th as Bhurtel’s gem came to an end with a nick to Kishan.
While the Nepal batters set up Ravindra Jadeja extremely delicate to negotiate, Aasif laid an anchor before being caught by Kohli off Siraj in the 30th over. At 132 for five, India tasted to wrap up the innings but Sompal Kami played a pleasurable innings to help Nepal cross the 200- run mark with ease.
India’s sloppy fielding with Shardul, Shami and Kuldeep Yadav being the biggest lawbreakers- helped Nepal as India conceded at least a dozen redundant runs through misfields and wayward throws. Know More Latest Cricket News…
