Shubman-Gill-and-Rohit-Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter/BCCI)
Incredible bowling display from Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, followed by steady batting from Rohit Sharma (74*), and Shubman Gill (67*), helped India beat Nepal by 10 wickets in the fifth match of the Asia Cup
India won the toss and elected to field. Nepal’s openers, Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh, got off to a good start, putting together 65 runs. However, Shardul Thakur drew the first blood for India by dismissing Bhurtel for 38 runs. Nepal lost wickets in quick succession and were left at 101-4.
Sheikh and Gulsan Jha put together 31 runs for the fifth wicket, but Sheikh was dismissed for 58 runs by Mohammed Siraj. Sompal Kami and Dipendra Singh Airee then put together 50 runs for the seventh wicket, with Airee making 29 runs and Kami 48 runs. However, the rest of the batsmen failed to score, and Nepal were bowled out for 230 runs in 48.2 overs.
The second inning was interrupted due to rain and reduced to 145 runs. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were ruthless against the meek Nepal bowlers, recording the third-highest partnership for India in Asia Cup ODI history. The Nepal bowlers had no answer for the Indian openers, as they put together 147 runs for the first wicket and remained not out. India eventually won the match by 10 wickets. Rohit Sharma was awarded the Player of the Match for his 74-run knock.
Here are some Important stats and numbers from the 5th match of Asia Cup 2023 Played between India and Nepal.
22 – Ravindra Jadeja is the joint-leading wicket-taker for India in Asia Cup ODIs alongside Irfan Pathan, followed by Sachin Tendulkar with 17 wickets and Kapil Dev with 15 wickets.
22 – Ravindra Jadeja (22) is the joint-leading wicket-taker by a left-arm spinner in the Asia Cup ODI, along with Abdur Razzak and Sanath Jayasuriya.
26 – Jadeja now has 26 wickets in the Asia Cup overall, which is the second most by a left-arm spinner, behind Shakib Al Hasan’s 27 wickets.
1017 – Aasif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel have become the first Nepal pair to score 1000 partnership runs in ODIs
10 – Rohit Sharma scored his 10th fifty-plus score in the Asia Cup overall, which is the second most by any batter. Kumar Sangakkara holds the record for the most fifty-plus scores in the Asia Cup, with 12. Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar are tied for third place, with 9 each.
10- Rohit Sharma has scored his 10th fifty-plus score in the Asia Cup overall, the most by any Indian batter. He is followed by Sachin Tendulkar with 9 and Virat Kohli with 8
22 – Rohit Sharma has now struck 22 sixes in Asia Cup ODIs, the third-most by any batsman. Shahid Afridi tops the list with 26 sixes, followed by Sanath Jayasuriya with 23.
1101 – Rohit Sharma has now scored 1101 runs in the Asia Cup, the second-most by any batter. Sanath Jayasuriya tops the list with 1220 runs.
147* – The opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, who scored 147 runs, is the third-highest for India in Asia Cup ODIs. The highest opening partnership for India in Asia Cup ODIs is 210 runs, scored by Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan against Pakistan in 2018 at Dubai