🏏Asia Cup 2023: M5: India vs Nepal in SL on 04/09/2023 at 3PM IST 🏏

🏏Asia Cup 2023: M5: India vs Nepal at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on 04/09/2023 at 3PM IST 🏏

Game time is at a premium for teams as the World Cup edges closer. India's key players have either been kept out by lengthy injuries or have been periodically rested during the last two T20 World Cup years. And in that respect, the Sri Lankan monsoon isn't helping. For example, it remains to be seen how pace ace Jasprit Bumrah holds up after bowling 10 overs in a competitive match or how Rohit Sharma sees him dove tail with the rest of the bowling line-up in the game's different phases.

The batters too need to switch to the rhythms of the 50-over game and discover the dynamics of batting with each other. Among them, Shubman Gill is in need of a good hit-out, tailing off somewhat in the second half of the year after establishing himself as an all-format player. He has a solitary half-century in his last seven ODI innings and a few misfires now could just set the cat among the pigeons. He, along with Rohit and Virat Kohli, have a tempo-setting job at the top of the order and will need to ensure the middle-order isn't always called to put out fires, even though Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya did so expertly in the last game. India are aware of their batting insecurities and it is part of the reason why they have to field Shardul Thakur as an all-rounder at No.8 over a pure bowler in Mohammed Shami.

This World Cup is least of Nepal's concerns. They will have an eye on the next 14-team edition of 2027. And it is not everyday they get to play against the big boys of international cricket at full strength. In a way, it is validation for their rapid recent rise. They made it here by winning the ACC Premier Cup in April-May and gave a decent account of themselves in the opener with the new ball even if their fielding veered from the exquisite to crude. A truncated game, as it seems likely, would help bridge the talent and experience deficit between the two sides.

Pitch Report

The pitch of the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium has a history of favouring the batting side. Bowlers are likely to have some assistance during the opening stage of the match. Batters will get a chance to settle during the middle overs. Spinners will come in handy when the surface gets cracked in the latter half. If rain plays spoilsport, it can affect the playing conditions.

Weather Report

Rainfall is once again going to be a problem in Pallekele, Kandy, on September 4. There’s around a 70 per cent chance of precipitation. Temperatures during the day are likely going to hover around 27 degrees Celsius. Humidity is expected to be around 81 per cent on Monday. The winds during the day will be moving around the speeds of 15 to 25 km/h.

Pitch and conditions: All eyes on the skies

The conditions - both overhead and underfoot - in Pallekele challenged batters on Saturday. There could be some juice for the seamers on Monday too, but all eyes will be on the skies once again.

Team News:

India

KL Rahul is ruled out for at least one more game and that means India are unlikely to tinker with the composition of their team. Ishan Kishan was available to keep wickets before rain washed out the second innings of the Pakistan game. That should be indication enough that the bout of cramps he suffered while batting isn't serious.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Nepal

Nepal could consider bringing 21-year-old batter Bhim Sharki into the XI. He lost his place after a string of low scores but it wasn't too long ago that he reeled off half-centuries against USA and Oman (warm-up) at the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

Probable XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Gulsan Jha, Dipendra Singh Airee, Kushal Malla, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan Chhetri, Lalit Rajbanshi

What to expect: Teams and fans in Pallekele will be advised to brave another start-stop fixture with thundershowers forecast for the most of Monday. Expect fast bowlers to seek seam movement aided by the trapped moisture in the pitch, as Shaheen Shah Afridi did on Saturday.

Did you know?

- Virat Kohli has a total of 34 runs from four innings at Pallekele with a best of 23.

- Mohammed Siraj has 26 PowerPlay wickets at 16.81 in ODIs since 2022

- Ravindra Jadeja has gone wicketless in 10 of the 22 ODI innings he's bowled in since the 2019 World Cup.

What they said:

"I never imagined I'd be playing in the Asia Cup. The recovery was slow and steady. I passed the fitness test one week before selection, and I was really happy with that." - Shreyas Iyer, one of the few Indian players on the comeback trail after a lengthy injury layoff

"Learning from the [Pakistan] game would be that we need to improve bowling in death overs, and as a group we need to step up with the bat." - Rohit Paudel on areas of improvement for his side after the defeat on Asia Cup debut.

https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/asia-cup-2023-jasprit-bumrah-returns-home-india-vs-nepal-super-4s-2430480-2023-09-03

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More Team news: Shami could replace Bumrah

Kishan seemingly struggled while running between the wickets against Pakistan, but he was ready to keep wicket before persistent rain had the final say. Bumrah has gone back home - not because of injury - and he will be back for the Super Fours stage, but for now his absence will open up a spot for Mohammed Shami or Prasidh Krishna. India have no reason to make any changes on the batting front unless they want to throw in Suryakumar or Tilak, who was particularly impressive during the T20I series against West Indies.

Stats and trivia:

• Nepal's first outing vs India
• This will be Nepal's first international game against India and only fifth ODI against a Full-Member nation.
• Kushal Bhurtel is six runs away from becoming the third Nepal player, after Paudel and Aasif Sheikh, to 1000 runs in ODI cricket.
• Virat Kohli is 98 runs away from becoming the second Indian - and fifth batter overall - to 13,000 ODI runs.

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