Following the fifth Asia Cup 2023 match at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Rahul Dravid displayed sportsmanship by honoring Nepal players.
India’s dominant performance saw them defeat Nepal by 10 wickets via the DLS method, securing a spot in the Super Four alongside Pakistan in Group A of the Asia Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma (74* off 59) and Shubman Gill (67* off 62) forged a record-breaking opening partnership, guiding their team to victory with 17 balls to spare.
Despite their loss, Nepal earned admiration for their spirited cricket. After the match, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Rahul Dravid were captured on video presenting medals to Nepal players, garnering widespread viral attention and global fan appreciation.
भारतीय खेलाडीहरुले नेपाली खेलाडीहरुलाई दिएको सम्मान 🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/aiCm8zxTJo
— Bipin Sapkota (@bipinsapkota213) September 5, 2023
Opting to field first, Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s decision backfired as Nepal’s openers made an explosive start, capitalizing on India’s fielding errors in the initial 10 overs. Nepal’s opening pair added an impressive 65 runs before Shardul Thakur claimed the first wicket. India’s spinners then tightened the noose, restricting Nepal to 144/6. However, valuable contributions from Dipendra Singh (29) and Sompal Kami (48) guided Nepal to a total of 230 runs on the scoreboard.
Rain interruptions led to a revised target of 145 runs in 23 overs, and Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill’s half-centuries propelled India to victory with 17 balls to spare. Nepal captain Rohit Paudel conceded that they fell short on runs and highlighted the challenging bowling conditions, with the ball lacking grip.
Nepal, making their Asia Cup main event debut, exited the tournament with two consecutive defeats, their first loss being against Pakistan.
Last Updated on September 5, 2023
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