India Defeats Nepal in the Asian Games by 23 runs, Yashasvi Jaiswal was the star.
India had a successful start in the men’s cricket event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. They secured a 23-run victory over Nepal in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, October 3.
In this crucial match, Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and chose to bat first. The early Powerplay performance by Yashasvi Jaiswal propelled India to an impressive start. Gaikwad faced some difficulties due to the challenging pitch, but Jaiswal played a pivotal role in the 103-run opening partnership off just 59 balls.
As the innings progressed, India faced some setbacks with Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, and Jitesh Sharma falling in quick succession, reducing them to 119/3 from 103/0. Nevertheless, Jaiswal continued to impress, achieving his maiden T20I century in just 48 balls. Although he was dismissed shortly after reaching this milestone, the partnership between Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube, known for their performance in the Ireland series in August, contributed significantly with an unbeaten 52-run partnership. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 37 off 15 balls, showcasing exceptional strokeplay.
Here is the moment when Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his century.
Nepal faced a challenging target of 203 runs in their chase. Despite the odds, Rohit Paudel’s team, who had secured impressive wins against Mongolia and Maldives to reach the quarterfinals, displayed remarkable courage and determination in their pursuit of making history. Several Nepal batters managed to hit boundaries, but none were able to convert their starts into substantial scores.
In the end, Nepal fought valiantly but fell short by 23 runs in their pursuit of India’s total. Ravi Bishnoi was India’s standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3/24 in four overs, while Avesh Khan also claimed a three-for, securing India’s spot in the semifinals.