India vs Nepal Highlights, Asia Cup 2023: 3 moments that generated buzz among fans in Match 5
India ended up making light work of Nepal in a do-or-die encounter in Group A of the Asia Cup 2023 in Pallekele as they won by 10 wickets to progress to the Super Four stage.
The Men in Blue were arguably lethargic in the field and that, in many ways, helped Nepal post a competitive total of 230 on the board. Rain once again affected the game as India's target was reduced to 145 in 23 overs.
However, openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were on top of their game and ensured that India reached the target with all ten wickets in hand. On that note, let's take a look at three moments in the game that grabbed the attention of fans:
#3 Dropped catches galore
Fans couldn't believe what they were witnessing at the start of the game as Indian players dropped three regulation catches inside the first five overs. Shreyas Iyer dropped a dolly at first slip, Virat Kohli made a hash of a simple catch at short covers, and Ishan Kishan himself might be confused as to how he missed the ball completely down the leg-side.
This gave the Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh enough confidence to go after the bowling as they added 65 runs for the first wicket. The Men in Blue looked deflated on the field and understandably so, due to the dropped catches and misfields.
#2 Rohit Sharma's frustration after sharp catch
One good moment in the field for India was when Rohit Sharma took a sharp catch at first slip to dismiss opposition skipper Rohit Paudel. The right-hander just threw his hands at a delivery from Ravindra Jadeja and it took the edge and flew to the first slip.
Sharma did really well to adjust his hand position and take a good reflex catch. He threw the ball up in anger and his reaction and celebration showed how frustrated he was with the dropped catches earlier on.
#1 Rohit Sharma's flick-sweep for six
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were coming into the game against Nepal after failures against Pakistan and probably needed a good hit-out in the middle. That's exactly what happened as they remained unbeaten on 74 and 67 respectively to give the Men in Blue a thumping win.
The highlight of the partnership was the audacious flick-sweep that Sharma hit against Sandeep Lamichhane for a six. The Indian captain was eager to play big shots against the leg-spinner. Even he agreed after the game that he was just looking to flick the ball but ended up timing it really well.
With all the talk about how the openers will fare against Pakistan on Sunday, September 10, at least the duo of Sharma and Gill have some runs under their belt going into the Super Fours.
To watch the full highlights of the match, click here.