Ravindra Jadeja reveals why it was crucial for India to thump Nepal by 10 wickets in Asia Cup encounter

On Monday, September 4, the Indian cricket team clinched a decisive 10-wicket victory over Nepal in a rain-interrupted Asia Cup 2023 match held in Pallekele.

SportsTak

• Tue • 05 Sep 2023

Highlights:

Ravindra Jadeja bagged three wickets against Nepal in Asia Cup encounter.India defeated Nepal by 10 wickets in an rain-affected match.

On Monday, September 4, the Indian cricket team clinched a decisive 10-wicket victory over Nepal in a rain-interrupted Asia Cup 2023 match held in Pallekele. Despite a shaky start, Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, gained momentum to secure the win.

India Restricts Nepal to 230 Runs

The Indian bowlers managed to contain Nepal to a total of 230 runs, setting the stage for an exciting run chase. Due to rain delays, the target was revised to 145 runs from 23 overs. The Indian team achieved this comfortably, with 17 balls to spare.

Player of the match: Rohit Sharma

Skipper Rohit Sharma was awarded the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 74 runs, steering India to victory. However, it was Ravindra Jadeja's exceptional performance that turned the tide in India's favor.

Ravindra Jadeja's Game-Changing Performance

Jadeja, the ace spinner, took three crucial wickets in his 10-over spell, effectively neutralizing the early damage inflicted by Nepal's opening batsmen. Post-match, Jadeja expressed that the win would boost the team's confidence going forward in the tournament.

"As a team, we won by 10 wickets, so the overall confidence is good. As a team you need that win before the big games. This is a good win for the team. We were playing Nepal for the first time and did not know what were the shots that they could play," Jadeja said via a BCCI video.

"Nepal were off to a great start, and we did not know about the strength of the team. We did not know about their go to shots. Me and Kuldeep came and controlled the game as it is not easy to hit the spinners in the middle overs. I just concentrated on bowling stump to stump," he further added.

Cordial Moments Between Indian and Nepal Teams

The BCCI later shared a video of Nepal players interacting with the Indian squad in their dressing room. When asked about the conversations that took place, Jadeja revealed that the Nepal team was inquisitive about the routines followed by Indian cricketers.

"They came into the dressing room and asked us about the routines ahead of a big game. I told them that my routine was normal and I would watch my videos before the game and not take unnecessary pressure," Jadeja revealed.