In a riveting encounter that was almost marred by rain, India faced Nepal in their first international clash at Pallekele. It was the same venue where India's previous match against Pakistan ended in a washout. Yet, the weather gods showed some mercy this time. The game continued after a delay, becoming a thrilling contest.
The rain relented by 9:30 pm, reducing India's target to 145 runs in 23 overs. A masterclass in batting was followed by the Indian opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, who forged an unbroken 147-run partnership, dashing Nepal's hopes. The result secured India's place in the Super Fours round. Pakistan had already booked their spot in the next stage from the same group.
Nepal's fans had plenty to cheer about earlier in the day as Aasif Sheikh played a solid innings. His fifty was a highlight, flanked by some dazzling strokeplay from Kushal Bhurtel in the powerplay and Sompal Kami's blows in the slog overs.
Aasif's half-century, which came off 88 balls in the 28th over, had Nepali supporters dancing in the stands. The beats resonating through the ground added to the festive atmosphere, and Rohit Paudel's team managed to post a competitive total of 230 on a two-paced pitch.
Yet, Nepal's joy was short-lived. Afterh a rain delay, Rohit Sharma launched an explosive assault. He produced an array of shots, including scoops, slog-sweeps, and reverse-sweeps, racing to a half-century in 39 balls.
Gill, who had dominated Sompal Kami with three fours in an over before the rain break, continued to support Rohit's charge. By the time Gill reached his own fifty, India was 29 runs away from victory. With Rohit and Gill at the helm, India secured the win with 17 balls to spare and all ten wickets intact.
India didn't have it all their way in the early exchanges, as fielding lapses plagued their performance. Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan dropped three catches within the first five overs. It gave Nepal's batsmen a lifeline to settle in.
They displayed a level of comfort against pace, executing elegant drives in the 'V' and audacious ramps behind the wicket. Kushal Bhurtel, who benefited from two dropped catches, capitalized on India's generosity with his aggressive intent.
One of the standout moments came when Bhurtel unleashed a stunning hook shot off Mohammed Siraj that sailed over square leg and out of the ground. Siraj persisted with a short-pitched strategy, conceding runs rather than taking wickets. Shardul Thakur provided India's first breakthrough in the last over of the powerplay, but he, too, struggled during his short four-over spell.
Aasif Sheikh exhibited resilience, which Nepal's batsmen lacked in their Asia Cup debut against Pakistan. Mohammed Siraj returned to the attack with the older ball and dismissed Aasif for a well-earned 58 off 97 balls.
The left-arm spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav combined forces to put India in control. Jadeja's variations and spin made him challenging to score against. He ended the day with figures of three for 40 in his ten overs.
It took until Jadeja's eighth over for Nepal to score a boundary off him. While Kuldeep didn't find himself among the wickets on this occasion, he proved to be equally economical with his stock ball and wrong'un on a helpful surface.
Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami demonstrated their ability to stand against India's star-studded lineup. Kami, in particular, handled the short-pitched deliveries from Siraj and Hardik Pandya with finesse during his knock of 48 off 56 balls. At the same time, Airee contributed 29 off 25 balls.
Playing his first ODI since March and filling in for the absent Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami partnered with Siraj to wrap up Nepal's innings, dismissing them for 230 in 48.2 overs.
As the skies cleared, Gill's composed batting and Rohit Sharma's explosive hitting made Nepal's attack stumble. India's ten-wicket victory was a testament to their clinical batting. It also demonstrated their ability to adapt to challenges. The match may have been shortened by rain, but it was still a memorable clash. It turned out to be India and Nepal's historic meeting on the international stage.
Brief Scores:
Nepal 230 all out (Aasif Sheikh 58, Sompal Kamo 48; Ravindra Jadeja 3-40, Mohammad Siraj 3-61) lost to India 147/0 in 20.1 ov (Rohit Sharma 74*, Shubman Gill 67*) by ten wickets.