The last time India played in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, things ended with no result, and fans were left stranded plus unhappy. Arch rivalry needed a concrete result. The next event for ICT is against Nepal in the same venue on September 04, 2023, at 3 p.m. IST. Nepal has no choice but to win, whereas India can afford to settle with a draw.
Jasprit Bumrah has left for Mumbai to be with his family as he becomes a father for the first time. BCCI is being supportive during this time, and his followers are looking forward to receiving good news. Stars have aligned because everyone can relax for the upcoming competition. It also means that the Indian fast bowler will not be on the field till the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup begins. It takes a little longer for everyone to see their champion deliver his magic.
Rohit Sharma is likely to pitch in for Suryakumar Yadav. He was not in the playing eleven against Pakistan, probably due to his form in the ODI format. Something that cannot be debated is his batting style in T20. Assuming he has warmed up and soaked the Lankan weather to his fullest, SKY will come out to shine at least one time in this tournament.
Mohammad Shami will replace Bumrah, per reports, as a fast bowler. Siraj is in the squad, and so is Kohli. Ishan Kishan should not be given rest; instead, he should be allowed to keep contributing to the scoreboard throughout the contest. His last wicket fell for a catch when his body cramped. Kishan went on for 2 overs before hitting a bad shot in the air and letting Babar Azam fetch it for Haris Rauf, who later gave an aggressive send-off with no tangible sign of appreciation.
Rohit Paudel shares his name with the Indian skipper. It remains to be seen if he shares his fortunes with him, too. His side lost in the opener by a massive margin of 238 runs. Best online cricket betting sites are favoring the Indian team, paving the way for another loss in their final Asian Cup event.
A dedicated focus will be on the opening pair – Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh. Their previous contribution was 13 runs in the first 2 overs. Nepal even lost 3 wickets in that duration. Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami were able to establish momentum against the devastating spell of Shaheen Afridi. The second time, and maybe there will be an upset.
Chances are futile, but hopes are not dry yet. The chances of the Indian Cricket Team crossing the mark of 300 runs on a pitch that averages 248 are high. Nepal could collapse way before 200 runs.
Ishan Kishan is likely to continue playing in the 5th position. It was a rainy play on September 02, 2023, which did not work well for ICT in the 3-4 overs that followed the break. This time, it could be a different story, depending on how strong the bowling lineup is presented by Nepal.
