Team India kicked off their Asia Cup 2023 campaign last Saturday, facing off against Pakistan. However, the match was unfortunately called off due to rain, leaving both India and Pakistan with a point each. Their next challenge will be against Nepal in the second group match, scheduled for September 4th at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
India is preparing for a critical confrontation with Nepal in their second group encounter, set for September 4th at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Both sides find themselves in a must-win situation, as winning here is vital to secure a spot in the next round. However, India confronted a big blow as their star fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, had to return home due to personal concerns, leaving them without his services against Nepal.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, is keen to find his form with the bat. His effort against Pakistan saw him scoring just 11 runs, falling prey to the cunning Shaheen Afridi. Shubman Gill, who has been a prolific run-scorer in 2023, had a tough time against Pakistan, managing only 10 runs off 32 balls. Virat Kohli, the batting maestro, also stumbled in that match, being removed for just 4 runs. As the tournament continues to the Super Four stage, India’s top-order batsmen are anxious to rebuild their confidence by putting some runs on the board against Nepal.
Shreyas Iyer, making a comeback to International cricket after a substantial sabbatical, showed promise but couldn’t capitalize fully. He struck two well-timed fours off Haris Rauf but eventually perished attempting an adventurous stroke, scoring 14 runs off 9 balls. On the other side, Ishan Kishan is the man in form for India in ODIs, notching up four successive half-centuries. His stunning 82 from 81 balls versus Pakistan was key in India’s competitive total. Hardik Pandya, another major contributor, played a mature innings, accumulating 87 runs to send India above the 250-run mark in their opening encounter. With Pandya in excellent form, India looks forward to his impacting performance against Nepal.
Ravindra Jadeja has grown into a consistent all-rounder for India, excelling in both batting and bowling, generally occupying the No. 6 or 7 place in the lineup.
India’s choice to exclude Mohammed Shami from the playing XI against Pakistan in favor of an extra batting option, Shardul Thakur, generated discussions. However, it’s expected that the management will recall Shami for the Nepal clash, making a strong pace three with Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Kuldeep Yadav is anticipated to retain his place as the primary spinner in the playing XI.
Team India Playing XI against Nepal:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
