"I don’t think of personal milestones" - Yashasvi Jaiswal after his whirlwind ton against Nepal in Asian Games 2023 quarterfinal
Indian young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal asserted that he never plays for personal milestones and prefers to focus on making the team win. The left-handed batter's message came after his blazing ton in the Asian Games 2023 quarterfinal against Nepal on Tuesday, October 3.
Jaiswal continued his incredible rise in international cricket by smashing a 48-ball 100 to open India's Asian Games campaign. The southpaw reached his half-century in only 22 deliveries, stitching a 103-run partnership with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. His century helped Team India post 202 in 20 overs.
Speaking after the game, here's what Jaiswal, who became India's youngest T20I centurion, said:
"I don’t think of personal milestones, I always think about scoring runs with a high strike rate for the team." (via Sony LIV)
After the 21-year-old departed for 100 off 49 deliveries, Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube provided the finishing touches to India's innings with their 52-run stand off 22 deliveries. Rinku, known for finishing games strongly, stayed unbeaten at 37 off 15 balls with four towering sixes.
Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan take three wickets after Yashasvi Jaiswal's whirlwind century
Meanwhile, Nepal gave its all to chase down the total in excess of 200. However, they struggled to keep up with the run rate, leaving themselves with too much to do in the end. Dipendra Singh Airee, who smashed six maximums in his first six deliveries against Mongolia, was their top-scorer with 32 off 15 balls.
Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan finished with three scalps each, while Arshdeep Singh and R Sai Kishore shared three wickets between them. Sai Kishore, the wily left-arm spinner, notably grew emotional during the national anthem and enjoyed a decent debut, bagging figures of 4-0-24-1.
India will either face Bangladesh or Malaysia in the semifinal of the Asian Games 2023. With the Indian women's cricket team finishing with gold, the men's contingent will be keen to do so as well.