Match Preview - India vs Nepal, Asia Cup 2023, 5th Match, Group A

Large image: Rain within the air as soon as once more

Rain ruined the India-Pakistan sport, the primary in ODI cricket between the 2 groups because the 2019 World Cup, on Saturday in Pallekele. An analogous rain risk hangs over the India-Nepal sport on the identical venue on Monday, with probabilities of precipitation as much as 80%. If Monday’s fixture in Pallekele can also be washed out, India will be part of their arch-rivals Pakistan within the Tremendous Fours from Group A.

Nepal won’t need to return house with out testing themselves in opposition to India’s superstars. If the climate clears up, this may very well be their greatest match but, with thousands and thousands tuning into it. Simply two months again, in Colombo, a Rohit Paudel-led Nepal group got here up in opposition to an India A group crammed with IPL gamers, and suffered a drubbing.

Nepal suffered an analogous drubbing by the hands of Babar Azam’s Pakistan on their Asia Cup debut in Multan, however there have been some passages of play the place they confirmed that they might compete with high groups. Like when Karan KC and Sompal Kami operated with self-discipline and goal within the early exchanges. When Paudel swooped in on the ball and nailed a direct hit to run Imam-ul-Haq out. Nonetheless, on the identical time, in addition they botched quite a few possibilities within the discipline.

They can not afford any such clumsy errors – or no group for that matter – in opposition to an India facet that’s nearly again to full energy. Shreyas Iyer seemed fluent in opposition to Pakistan earlier than his keep was minimize brief by Haris Rauf. However they are going to be with out Jasprit Bumrah, who has returned house for private causes* to overlook only one sport. It was Ishan Kishan, who made the most important splash on Saturday, with 82 off 81 balls at No. 5 in opposition to a fearsome tempo assault on a two-paced monitor.

Going into the match as overwhelming favourites, will India give Suryakumar Yadav or Tilak Varma an opportunity earlier than they announce their World Cup squad?

India WLWLL (final 5 accomplished ODIs, most up-to-date first)Nepal LLWLL

Within the highlight: Kuldeep Yadav and Lalit Rajbanshi

Since his return to the ODI facet in January, Kuldeep Yadav has established himself as India’s premier spinner within the format. Amongst bowlers from Full-Member nations, solely Wanindu Hasaranga, Mark Adair and Maheesh Theekshana have extra wickets than Kuldeep’s 22 in 11 innings in ODI cricket this yr. On Monday, Kuldeep can handsomely add to his tally in opposition to an opposition that maybe is not used to dealing with high-quality left-arm wristspin.

Lalit Rajbanshi bowls the much less glamorous number of spin – left-arm fingerspin – and has spent a lot of his profession within the shadow of legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane. However he has performed his half in Nepal’s latest success together with his defensive expertise. These expertise have been on vibrant show in opposition to Pakistan in Multan, the place he strung collectively 33 dots. In a match the place Pakistan rattled up 342, Rajbanshi gave away simply 48 from his ten overs. Earlier, in opposition to West Indies within the ODI World Cup Qualifier in Harare, he even fronted as much as bowl on the demise and removed Rovman Powell, Shai Hope and Keemo Paul.

Group information: Shami might substitute Bumrah

Kishan seemingly struggled whereas working between the wickets in opposition to Pakistan, however he was able to preserve wicket earlier than persistent rain had the ultimate say. Bumrah has gone again house – not due to harm – and he will probably be again for the Tremendous Fours stage, however for now his absence will open up a spot for Mohammed Shami or Prasidh Krishna. India haven’t any cause to make any modifications on the batting entrance until they need to throw in Suryakumar or Tilak, who was significantly spectacular throughout the T20I sequence in opposition to West Indies.

India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami/Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj

Bhim Sharki is a part of the squad as a reserve batter, however Nepal would possibly persist with the identical XI.

Nepal (possible): 1 Kushal Bhurtel, 2 Aasif Sheikh (wk), 3 Rohit Paudel (capt), 4 Aarif Sheikh, 5 Sompal Kami, 6 Dipendra Singh Airee, 7 Gulsan Jha, 8 Kushal Malla, 9 Karan KC, 10 Sandeep Lamichhane, 11 Lalit Rajbanshi

Pitch and situations: All eyes on the skies

The situations – each overhead and underfoot – in Pallekele challenged batters on Saturday. There may very well be some juice for the seamers on Monday too, however all eyes will probably be on the skies as soon as once more.