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INDIA WIN! Ruturaj Gaikwad and Co. take home a 23-run victory and move into the semi-finals. Nepal once again show that they are an emerging giants with a brilliant fight and can bow out with their heads held high.
Yashasvi Jaiswal 100 (49) | Ravi Bishnoi (3/24) Dipendra Singh Airee 32 (15) and (2/31)
203 was always going to be a difficult target on this pitch but Nepal with their middle and death over showings would have rung many an alarm bell in the Indian dressing room. They started a bit too slowly (which proved fatal at the end) as Bhurtel looked to see off the powerplay.
He and Sheikh build a decent partnership to start the innings before Avesh Khan removed the latter just when he was starting to look for boundaries. Malla and Bhurtel build another slow partnership but both fell in quick succession against India's spin Ravis (we've heard that before). Bishnoi also got rid of Rohit Paudel and the match looked long lost for Nepal. Sai Kishore was excellent on his debut.
Just then, Dipendra Singh Airee and Sundeep Jora turned on the screws against Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh. Both batters ended with strike-rates of over 200 and put some shivers down the Indian spines. Arshdeep got Jora out but Kami came and threatened to take the game away again with his first-ball six.
India held their nerves, brought back Avesh Khan and avoided any further hurdles to go past the finish line. Nepal, with a bit more intent from the top-order, would have taken this match much, much closer and that's something they can work on. India, meanwhile, need to be much better with the ball in such helpful conditons.
20
overs
179/9score
0
0
0
0
0
6
runs
Karan KC*
18(13)
Abhinash Bohara
0(0)
Shivam Dube
0/37
19.6 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, SIX! Too late though! Goes pace off at the stumps this time with a slightly short delivery. Karan waits and swivels into a majestic pull over wide long on as it soars over the ropes. What a valiant fight by Nepal as they go down heroically. But India seal a berth in the semifinals of the Asian Games with a 23-run win!
19.5 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, in the arc outside the off stump. Karan swings with gay abandon but cannot put bat to ball
19.4 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, AND AGAIN! Nails the yorker outside the off stump and slants it across the Karan. He clears his front leg and swings hard without connecting
19.3 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, into the block hole outside the off stump. Karan jams it out to the bowler. The writing is on the wall!
19.2 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, good length delivery outside the off stump. Angles across Karan who has a heave across the line in vain
19.1 Shivam Dube to Karan KC, nails the yorker on off stump from around the wicket. Karan clears his front leg and just about gets his bat down on time to dink it into the pitch despite attempting a wild swing
Shivam Dube [2-0-31-0] comes back into the attack
Sai Kishore takes his second catch of the day! That should be it for Nepal. A really good fight from them but India just never loosened the leash enough for them to escape.
19
overs
173/9score
0
6
4
0
1
w
runs
Sandeep Lamichhane*
5(4)
Karan KC
12(7)
Avesh Khan
3/32
18.6 Avesh Khan to Sandeep Lamichhane, SIMPLE CATCH! And it's Sai Kishore again! In the slot outside the off stump as he takes pace off again. Lamichhane swings downtown and shanks it into the sky before Sai Kishore runs forward from long on and takes it without a fuss. Nepal lose their ninth!
Sandeep Lamichhane c Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore b Avesh Khan 5 (4b, 1x4, 0x6)
18.5 Avesh Khan to Karan KC, low full toss outside the off stump as he goes for the yorker. Karan can only bunt it down to long off as he gets off strike
18.4 Avesh Khan to Karan KC, deceptive slower one outside the off stump. On a length and it keeps low to beat Karan's swipe across the line
10 off the over already? Avesh needs a strong comeback or this would turn into a lifeline for Nepal.
18.3 Avesh Khan to Karan KC, TOP EDGE! FOUR! Pulls his length back as he takes pace off on the off stump. Karan attempts a heave as it pings the bat quite high and flies well over the keeper for a boundary. Nepal need every delivery to produce runs of this kind!
18.2 Avesh Khan to Karan KC, SIX! BANG! In the arc at the stumps as Avesh takes pace off. Karan makes room and mousses it down the ground for a six over long on
18.1 Avesh Khan to Karan KC, slower full length delivery outside the off stump. Beats Karan on his wild swing as he connects with thin air alone
41 off 12 isn't an impossible situation but India have struck at the right time. Nepal had built some pressure through Jora and Airee but now it's only going one way.
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Karan KC
*
Shivam Dube
Video
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