Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill guided India into the Super 4 stage with their fifties. (AFP Photo)
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill smashed fifties as their 147-run partnership helped India beat Nepal by 10 wickets as the Men in Blue stormed into Super 4 stage of Asia Cup
Indian captain Rohit Sharma and his fellow opener Shubman Gill stitched together an unbeaten stand of 147 runs as the Men in Blue stormed into the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2023.
India defeated Nepal by 10 wickets at the Pallekele International Stadium on Monday, September 4 to seal their place in the next round of the continental tournament during a rain-hit clash.
Earlier, Nepal were invited to bat first with Rohit having won the toss and he elected to bowl. The Rohit Paudel-led unit came up with a valiant effort of 230 runs, which was later revised to a target of 145 through the DLS method. India were 17/0 when the heavens opened up in their chase after which the total was revised and the game was reduced to 23 overs.
The Men in Blue chased down the required total with 17 balls to spare with Rohit smashing 74 in 59 balls, while Gill recorded a 62-ball 67.
Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh put the Indian side under pressure thanks to some needless mistakes from the Men in Blue. Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli and Ishan Kishan were all guilty of dropping regulation catches as the Nepali openers stitched together a 65-run stand.
Ravindra Jadeja then chipped in with three wickets as he exposed the middle order of Nepal after Shardul Thakur drew first blood for India. Sheikh scored 58 in 97 balls, while Sompal Kami missed a well-deserved fifty as he fell on 48.
Bhurtel, Gulsan Jha, and Dipendra Singh all made useful contributions to help Nepal to a fourth 200-plus total against a Test-playing nation.
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Rohit also won the Player of the Match award for his wonderful batting and sharp catch in the slips.
His opening partner Gill, admitted that he wanted to perform better after failing to shine against Pakistan.
“Quite disappointed with the way I got out day before yesterday. It was important for me to finish the game along with Rohit bhai and we did that. He (Rohit) is the kind of player who likes to take the bowlers on aerial. I am the kind of player who likes to hit more boundaries than aerial. That combination works quite well for us,” said Gill after the match.
Rohit and Gill made easy work of the chase after a lengthy rain delay, the groundstaff did ever so well for the game to resume just in the nick of time to avoid a washout.
The Indian openers attacked the Nepal bowlers left, right and centre cruising their way to the 10-wicket win.