Asian Games: India advance to semi-final in men’s cricket; beat Nepal by 23 runs

India started their Asian Games campaign with a comprehensive win against Nepal by 23 runs in the quarterfinal

Hangzhou: India started their Asian Games campaign with a comprehensive win against Nepal by 23 runs in the quarterfinal with the help of Yashavi Jaiswal’s blistering century followed by combined bowling effort from the bowlers on Tuesday.

They advanced to the semi-final by restricting Nepal to 179/9. Avesh Khan took three wickets for 32 while Ravi Bishnoi picked up three scalps by conceding 24. Arshdeep Singh got two wickets and Sai Kishore picked up one wicket.

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Chasing a massive target, Nepal lost their first wicket early. Avesh Khan dimissed Aasif Sheikh in the 4th over at 10. Nepal tried to steer the innings by batting steadily, however, they could not succeed as they lost their second wicket in the 9th over. This time Sai Kishore cleaned up Kushal Bhurtel at 28.

Nepal were looking helpless as two more batters went back to the pavilion in the 11th over. Ravi Bishnoi strruck his magic and picked up the wickets of Kushal Malla (29) and Rohit Paudel (3).

Nepal made a comeback in the 14 over when Airee hit three consecutive sixes in Dube’s bowling. But, Ravi Bishoi again pushed them back by dismissing Dipendra Singh Airee at 32 in the 15th over.

Nepal’s seventh wicket was dismissed in the 17th over with Sompal Kami’s dismissal by Avesh Khan at 7.

Gulshan Jha was dismissed in the next ball by Arshdeep Singh in the 18th over.

Avesh got his third wicket by clearing up Sandeep Lamichhane as Nepal failed to chase the target.

Earlier, choosing to bat, India’s young openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad started attacking the Afghanistan bowler early in the innings. They brought 50 50-run mark in just 4 overs.

Jaiswal brought about his blistering fifty in just 22 balls in the 7th over by hitting a dashing six.

Ruturaj who was playing an anchor inning got out in the 10th over after Dipendra Singh Airee dismissed him at 25.

Afghanistan got the second wicket in quick succession as Tilak Varma was dismissed by Sompal Kami in the 12th over.

Jaiswal from the other end was explosive, hitting the Nepal bowlers in every over. He clinched his century in the 16th over. He scored his ton in just 48 balls. However, Jaiswal’s innings came to an end after Airee bowled a full toss but Jaiswal failed to clear it as Bohara caught him.

Rinku Singh showed his power hitting in the last over adding a few more runs as India gave a target huge target of 202/4.

Brief score: India 202/4 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 100, Rinku Singh 37, Dipendra Singh Airee 2-31) vs Afghanistan 179/9 (Dipendra Singh Airee 32, Sundeep Jora 29, Ravi Bishnoi 3-24).