Pallekele (Sri Lanka):India overcame early sloppy fielding and long rain breaks to qualify for the Asia Cup's Super 4 with a 10-wicket victory against newcomer Nepal on Monday after meeting a revised target on the DLS method.
Captain Rohit Sharma, who struggled against Pakistan's pace in the rain-abandoned opening group game, made 74 not out and Shubman Gill also warmed up for the Super 4 with an unbeaten 67 as India reached 147-0 in 20.1 overs. Nepal had been bowled out for 230 but the Indian target was revised to 145 in 23 overs after an almost two-hour rain break.
Pakistan, which thumped Nepal by 238 runs at Multan, also qualified for the Super 4 from the same group.
Sharma and Gill started off the revised target cautiously before playing some big shots against the spinners with legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane conceding 39 off his four overs. Sharma was the more aggressive of the two, hitting five sixes and six fours while Gill also reached his half century with a pulled six in his undefeated half century and also hit eight fours.
India had a lackluster start to its last group game after Sharma won the toss and elected to field under overcast conditions with three catches going down inside the first five overs. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav took control in the middle overs as Nepal was bowled out in 48.2 overs.
Shubman Gill, who struggled in the first game against Pakistan, struck three boundaries off seamer Sompal Kami before rain took the players off the field with India 17-0 in 2.1 overs.
Earlier, India's fielders had a poor start as Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan dropped regulation catches off fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj that allowed the opening pair of Kushal Bhurtel (38) and Aasif Sheikh (58) to rack up an opening stand of 65.
One of Bhurtel's two sixes went out of the ground over square leg off Siraj's short pitched delivery.
Shardul Thakur broke the stand in the last over of the batting powerplay when he found the outside edge of Bhurtel before Aasif took charge despite Jadeja picking up 3-40 that pushed back Nepal to 101-4 in the 22nd over.
Kohli had dropped Aasif at short extra covers early on and the batter also successfully reversed an onfield lbw decision against him off Yadav before raising his half century off 88 balls. Kohli finally caught Aasif when Siraj found a leading edge in the 30th over and followed it with the wicket of Gulshan Jha before rain arrived and stopped play for an hour.
Hardik Pandya and Siraj then bowled well in the latter half of the innings after play resumed but Nepal's No. 8 Kami made a well composed 48 off 56 balls that featured two sixes and a boundary before Siraj wrapped up the innings and returned with figures of 3-61.
Shami, who was included in the playing XI because Jasprit Bumrah flew back home for the birth of his first child, took 1-29.
Here are the live updates of India's chase:
- 11:00 pm
Rohit Sharma has reached his fifty off just 40 deliveries including five 4s and three 6s. Gill is at 41 of 38. The openers are making this look easy. India 101/0 in 14 overs.
- 10:45 pm
The two Indian openers are in complete control as they tug along towards the new target. Score 64/0 after 10 overs.
- 10:30 pm
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are going steady in the run chase. India is 33/0 in 6 overs chasing a revised target of 145 in 23 overs.
- 10:18 pm
The game has resumed after a long rain break, almost two hours. The target has been revised. India need 126 runs - 2nd innings reduced to 23 overs due to rain, DLS target 145.
- 8:20 pm
It is raining again. The match has been halted. This is the third interruption in this game. The drizzle is getting heavier.
- 8:15 pm
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are at the crease chasing 230. Gill smashed three 4s of Sompal Kami's over. Rohit also broke shackles and scored his first boundary the very next. This shouldn't be tough for them unless Nepal bowlers produce some magic.
Here is the innings report
Fearless Nepal batsmen exploited a well below-par effort by Indian bowlers to the hilt to post a competitive 230 in their Asia Cup match here on Monday. Aasif Sheikh (58 off 97 balls), Kushal Bhurtel (38 off 25 balls) and Sompal Kami (48 off 55 balls) were impressive while tackling a pedigreed Indian attack after they were asked to bat first.
Nepal who were bundled out for 104 by Pakistan in their opening match, went off the blocks in a cracking style, reaching 65 for 1 in the first 10 overs. Bhurtel was the engine room of their initial charge in their first international match against India. However, India will regret the two reprieves they gave to Bhurtel.
Shreyas Iyer dropped Bhurtel on 1 off Shami in the very first over. A little later Ishan Kishan spilled a chance behind the stumps off the same bowler when the batter was on 7. Bhurtel was in no mood to look a gift horse in its mouth and took on Indian bowlers bravely. The Nepal opener slammed pacer Mohammed Siraj over square leg for a six, and followed it with another maximum off Shardul Thakur over fine leg.
But Thakur brought India the first breakthrough soon when he induced an edge from Bhurtel and this time Kishan did not commit any mistake. Ravindra Jadeja (3/40 in 10 overs) joined the act with three wickets between the 16th and 21st overs to reduce Nepal to 101 for 4. The left-arm spinner dismissed captain Rohit Paudel, Kushal Malla and Bhim Sharki to slow down Nepal's progress.
Sheikh, however, kept his end going with a pragmatic approach amid multiple rain interruptions. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (0/34 in 10 overs) was expected to pose a big threat to the Nepal batsmen. But Sheikh played him well, reading his googlies and the only time he looked in trouble was when the Indian bowled the deliveries that skidded away from him.
However, Siraj ended Sheikh's stay with a delivery that climbed on him which he jabbed uppishly to Kohli. Dipendra Airee and Kami played some daring shots and added 50 runs for the seventh wicket as Jasprit Bumrah-less Indian bowlers and fielders struggled for a cohesive outing. Nepal will be hoping that India can at least be stretched when their turn comes to bowl.
First innings updates
- 7:45 pm