“We have made plans to tackle them” – Nepal captain Rohit Paudel on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of IND vs NEP Asia Cup tie
Nepal captain Rohit Paudel expressed his delight to play against Team India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 at Pallekele in Sri Lanka on Sunday, September 3.
The 21-year-old revealed that his team has made plans to combat India captain Rohit Sharma and senior batter Virat Kohli, who have the potential to go all guns blazing and bash the minnows.
Paudel told the reporters, as quoted by ANI:
"We are excited to play against India. India is a big country. We are all excited to represent Nepal against India on the biggest stage. Virat and Rohit have been the stars for their country for over ten years."
He continued:
"We have made plans to tackle them and hopefully, we will execute them tomorrow. On the field, it will be a game that both of us will be wanting to win."
The statement comes a day after Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi dismissed both Sharma (11 runs off 22 balls) and Kohli (four off seven deliveries) cheaply in the high-voltage contest on Saturday, September 3. The match was later called off due to rain.
Paudel, who has played 53 ODIs for Nepal so far, further labeled Kohli as an inspiration:
"Virat is an inspiration for all of us, not only for his work ethic but also his discipline, on and off the field.”
Nepal aim for improved show against India in Asia Cup 2023
Nepal will look for an improved show with the bat and ball against India after losing the opening game against arch-rivals Pakistan by 238 runs in the 2023 Asia Cup. The fielding unit looked impressive as they inflicted two run-outs in the form of Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan.
All-rounder Sompal Kami was the stand-out player for Nepal. The 27-year-old medium pacer picked up a couple of wickets, including Pakistan captain Babar Azam (151 off 131). The right-handed batter then top-scored for his side, scoring 28 off 46.
Watch Pakistan vs Nepal full Asia Cup match highlights below:
Follow IND vs NEP live score updates here.