Asia Cup 2023: Rain delays Nepal's defense of 230 runs against India

Kathmandu, Sept 4 : The one-day international match underway in Sri Lanka between Nepal and India in the Asia Cup 2023 has been delayed by rain.     

Chasing a victory target of 231 runs set by debutant Nepal, India had scored 17 runs in 2.1 overs when rain stopped the match. Captain Rohit Sharma was batting on 4 runs and Subhman Gil has scored 12 in 6 balls, before umpires withheld the match.     

Earlier, Nepal had posted a total of 230 runs in 48.2 overs playing its only second international match and first against India in Pallekele cricket stadium. Nepal were all out with 10 balls to spare.     

Put into bat first after losing the toss, Nepal started well scoring briskly to post 65 runs for the first wicket, before Kushal Burtel was out in the second last ball of the 10th over. However, Bhim Sarki, captain Rohit Paudel and Kushal Malla went out cheaply, with none of them reaching double digits.     

Aasif Sheikh scored 58 runs in 97 balls being before out caught to Mohammad Siraj. Gulshan Jha scored 23 runs in 35 balls.     

Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami steadied the innings down the order, putting up 50 runs in 55 balls for the 7th wicket. Sompal missed on a deserved half century, out caught behind to Mohammad Sami, scoring 48 runs in 56 balls, including 2 sixes. Airee contributed 29 runs in 25 balls.     

For India, Rabindra Jadeja took 3 wickets while Mohammad Siraj took 2 wickets and Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Sami and Hardik Pandya took 1 wicket each.     

This is the second match that Nepal is playing in the Asia Cup 2023. In the first match held in Multan, Pakistan, Nepal lost to the hosts by 238 runs.     

This is the first ever international match between neighbours Nepal and India, and only second international match that Nepal is playing in its ODI history. (RSS)