Coming off a washout, India would hope they solely have greenhorns Nepal to sort out and never rain because the heavyweights eye a berth within the Super Four of the Asia Cup in Pallekele, Sri Lanka on Monday. From Group A, Pakistan have already certified to the Super Four with 3 factors, and India have one level from the washed-out recreation in opposition to their arch-rivals on Saturday. Even within the occasion of one other rain-marred match on the morrow, India can advance to the Super Four with two factors, however Rohit Sharma’s males will definitely not need it that means.

India acquired some encouraging indicators from their match in opposition to Pakistan, and they might need to construct on them forward of the enterprise finish of this event and far sterner assays within the ready.

Pakistan pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf had decreased India to 66 for 4 by the fifteenth over. At that time, India’s worries might need been accentuated by the truth that they’ve a jelly middle-order.

Ishan Kishan was enjoying the primary match of his profession at No. 5 in ODIs and Hardik Pandya by no means actually fitted the invoice of a firefighter.

However, each Kishan and Pandya overcame their private predicaments to amass 138 runs for the fifth wicket, cornerstone of India’s eventual 266.

Kishan was notably spectacular, as his forte is being a dashing top-order batsman.

So, there was that trace of doubt whether or not Kishan would be capable to make the required changes to his batting and strategy to swimsuit the No. 5 slot.

He excelled on each the counts. As a top-order batter Kishan was vulnerable to pacers who may transfer the ball round.

Instead of trusting his defence, Kishan’s methodology to get out of the cage was being aggressive. But right here he needed to be defensive.

Rauf, Afridi and Naseem Shah examined his fortitude however for as soon as Kishan confirmed that he can provide a scratch.

Nepal do not need the standard of Pakistan, however Kishan wish to have a go at them and add some extra runs beneath his belt to spice up his new profile.

Similarly, the administration can even welcome the composure Pandya confirmed whereas enjoying second fiddle to Kishan, and the seamless shifting of gears the all-rounder did after the left-hander’s dismissal.

The adaptability and the no-egotistical strategies of Pandya would have happy the think-tank no finish.

Even although the stuttering effort of their high 4 – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer – in opposition to Pakistan pacers might be handled as an aberration, the administration would need them to get into ODI mode on the earliest.

Rohit and Kohli have been rested for the ODIs in opposition to the West Indies, whereas Shreyas Iyer is making his return after an harm lay-off.

Nepal may simply give the trio the right opposition to earn some precious recreation time and runs.

However, the crew high brass may be a tad disenchanted as a result of the bowlers by no means obtained an opportunity to check their abilities in opposition to a top quality opponent in Pakistan.

They would have been desperate to see how Jasprit Bumrah responded to the duty of bowling 10 overs and fielding the size of fifty overs.

His efficiency would have been be keenly monitored in opposition to Nepal however the tempo spearhead is unavailable for the sport resulting from private causes.

Nepal, who misplaced to Pakistan by 238 runs within the event opener, can be desperate to masks their lack of cricketing pedigree with their enthusiasm.

Their greatest hope to make some influence within the match shall be leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane and captain Rohit Paudel.

But in the actual world, they are going to be more than pleased to restrict the harm to the minimal in opposition to a cricketing powerhouse like India.

Teams (from): India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve).

Nepal: Rohit Paudel (captain), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Mousom Dhakal, Sundeep Jora, Kishore Mahato, Arjun Saud.

Match begins at 3 PM IST.

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