India and Nepal Quarter Final T20 – 2023:
In the thrilling clash between India and Nepal at the Asian Games 2023 on Oct 3, 2023, Hangzhou, China, Team India emerged victorious, securing their spot in the semifinals with a hard-fought 23-run win. However, the contest took an unexpected turn as Nepal put up a spirited fight, catching everyone by surprise. Describing it as a narrow escape for India would be an understatement, as Nepal concluded their innings at 179/9 in response to India’s 202/4.
Despite having Nepal struggling at 77/4, the trio of Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, and Karan KC unleashed some powerful strokes, raising the possibility of a major upset. In the end, it was the experience of the Indian bowlers that prevented a shocker. Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan, with three wickets each, played pivotal roles in securing the win, but vulnerabilities in the Indian team were evident.
“Rising Stars Shine”
The early breakthrough by Avesh Khan and the dismissal of Kishan Bhurtel by debutant R Sai Kishore added pressure to Nepal’s chase. Subsequently, Nepal found themselves in dire straits, losing wickets while attempting to keep up with the demanding required run rate.
This challenging situation followed outstanding performances by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who recorded a blazing century in just 48 balls, and Rinku Singh, who played an explosive innings, accumulating 37 runs off a mere 15 balls, including four powerful sixes. These stellar displays enabled India to set a formidable target of 202/4 against Nepal in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games 2023 cricket tournament held in Hangzhou.
“An Explosive Start”
In the match, after winning the toss and choosing to bat in Hangzhou, India’s opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jaiswal made a blistering start, reaching fifty runs within the first four overs. Jaiswal, in particular, reached his half-century in just 22 balls and continued to dominate the innings, even as his partner and captain, Gaikwad, played a more subdued role. Gaikwad managed to find a few boundaries but was dismissed for 25 while attempting to clear the boundary.
“Nepal’s Fightback”
Nepal’s bowlers struck again, with Sompal Kami removing Tilak Varma and Sandeep Lamichhane dismissing Jitesh Sharma, caught and bowled. However, Jaiswal’s explosive batting kept India’s scoreboard ticking. Although he reached his century, his departure dashed India’s hopes of reaching the 200-run mark. Nevertheless, Rinku Singh stepped up, smashing two sixes and two fours in the final over to help India breach the 200-run milestone.
The highlight of the Game
