Asia Cup: ‘Bowling okay, fielding sub-par’ says Indian skipper Rohit after win over Nepal

Kandy [Sri Lanka]: Following his side’s ten-wicket win over Nepal in their Asia Cup, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said that the team’s fielding was below-par while the bowling was just okay in the match and the team did not play its best cricket during these two group stage matches.

Blistering batting display from Shubman Gill and Rohit

Sharma helped India defeat Nepal by 10 wickets via the DLS method in a rain-curtailed match in the Asia Cup 2023 here at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

“To start with, there were some nerves, but once I got my eye in, I wanted to cash in and get my team home. I just wanted to chip it over the short fine leg, there was no intention to clear the deep backward square leg, but bats these days are so good.

When we came here, in the back of our mind we knew what our [World Cup] 15 would look like, except maybe one or two spots. We cannot really look too much into these two games, one was washed out, but luckily we got to bat in the first game and bowl in this one.

We have not been at our best. But a few guys are coming out after months out of the game. Once we move ahead in the Super Fours, there’s no room for complacency.

First game, under pressure, Hardik and Ishan got us into a good position. Today our bowling was okay, but fielding was below par,” said Rohit in a post-match presentation.

Coming to the match, India opted to bowl first. Nepal posted a valiant 230/10 in 48.1 overs in their first-ever match against India.

Nepal started well with an opening stand of 65 runs between Kushal Bhurtel (38 in 25 balls) and Kushal Bhurtel, who went on to score 58 in 97 balls, with eight fours.

But after the opening stand, Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj reduced Nepal to 144/6. But a 50-run stand between Dipendra Singh (29 in 25 balls) and Sompal Kami helped Nepal reach near the 200-run mark. A late partnership between Kami and Sandeep Lammichhane (9) helped Nepal reach a respectable total.

Jadeja (3/40) and Siraj (3/61) were the pick of the bowlers for India. Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya got a wicket each.

India’s chase for 231-run target was interrupted by rain at 17/0 and the revised target was 145 in 23 overs. Indian openers skipper Rohit Sharma (74 in 59 balls, with six fours and five sixes) and Shubman Gill (67 in 62 balls with eight fours and a six) made light work of the target, winning the match with 17 balls to go and full 10 wickets in hand.