Nepal lose to India by 23 runs in Asian Games quarter-finals

Nepal: Nepal, playing their first T20 against the cricket’s superpower India, faced a 23-run defeat in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games played in Hangzhou, China on Tuesday.

                                          photo: TKP

The Rhinos managed to get 179 runs at the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 20 overs in the chase for 203 runs. With the defeat, Nepal have crashed out of the tournament.

Dipendra Singh Airee top-scored for Nepal at 32 runs off 15 deliveries with four sixes before being caught by Sai Kishore off Ravi Bishnoi in 14.2 overs. Kushal Malla made 29 runs off 22 deliveries with two hits to the fence and two sixes. Opening batter Kushal Bhurtel scored 28 runs as Sundeep Jora contributed 29 runs off 12 deliveries.

For India, Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan took equal three wickets in their four-over spell. Arshdeep Singh grabbed two wickets.

Earlier, opting to bat first after winning the toss, Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a century as the cricket powerhouse notched up 202 runs on the board at the loss of four wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

Opening batter Jaiswal reached the feat off 49 balls with eight fours and seven sixes. He was caught by Abinash Bohara off Dipendra Singh Airee in 16.2 overs.

Rinku Singh made 37 runs as Shivam Dube and Ruturaj Gaikwad made an equal 25 runs.

For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airee took two wickets as Sompal Kami and Sandeep Lamichhane chipped in with a wicket each.

The Rhinos progressed into the last eight of the T20I as Group A winners with a records-smashing 273-run win against international cricket debutants Mongolia, followed by a comprehensive 138-run victory over the Maldives.

India—who received a direct entry into the quarters based on their T20I rankings as of June 1, 2023—have fielded a second-string side in the competition.

But their squad features promising youngsters in captain and Chennai Super Kings player Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kolkata Knight Riders’ Rinku Singh, Punjab Kings’ leading wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh and Rajasthan Royal’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a century in his Test debut against the West Indies in July.

This was the third time in three months Nepal played against an Indian cricket team.

Nepal lost to India A team by nine wickets in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup on July 17. Nepal then suffered a 10-wicket defeat against eventual champions and India’s first team featuring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kholi in the Asia Cup 2023 Group A match on September 4.