Asia Cup: Sharma, Gill secure Super 4 berth after thrashing Nepal in rain-affected game

Asia Cup: Sharma, Gill secure Super 4 berth after thrashing Nepal in rain-affected game

India advanced to the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023 after thrashing Nepal by 10 wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis method in a rain-affected match at the Pallekele stadium in Kandy, on Monday.

Chasing a revised target of 145 runs in 23 overs, skipper Rohit Sharma (74 not out) and Shubman Gill (67 not out) recorded unbeaten half-centuries, guiding India to victory with 17 balls to spare. India were 147 for no loss in 20.1 overs. Initially, while chasing 231, India were at 17 for no loss in 2.1 overs when heavy rain interrupted the game, resulting in the second interruption. The match resumed after a two-hour delay.

Nepal, sent in to bat, managed to score 178 for 6 in 37.5 overs before the first rain delay. Play resumed after an hour, and no overs were lost. Nepal were eventually bowled out for 230 in 48.2 overs. Opener Aasif Sheikh contributed 58 runs off 97 balls, while Kushal Bhurtel made 38 runs off 25 balls. Ravindra Jadeja was India’s most successful bowler, claiming three wickets for 40 runs.

Brief scores:
Nepal: 230 all out in 48.2 overs (Aasif Sheikh 58; Ravindra Jadeja 3/40).
India: 147 for no loss in 20.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 74 not out, Shubman Gill 67 not out).

The India vs. Nepal match marked the final Group A fixture in the Asia Cup 2023. India’s victory earned them 3 points, allowing them to advance to the Super Fours alongside Pakistan, who topped the Group A points table with 3 points and a net run rate of +4.760. India followed closely with the same points and a net run rate of +2.689.