Asian Games Cricket: The Asian Games-bound Indian men's cricket team on Tuesday cruised to a 23-run victory in the quarterfinal match against Nepal to reach the semifinal of the tournament. In a high-scoring affair at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou, Yashasvi Jaiswal starred with a record-breaking century to hand India a win over Nepal in the cricket competition of the Asiad.
India are the first team to reach the semis of the event. The Men in Blue scored 202 runs in the first innings as Yashasvi Jaiswal became the youngest Indian to score a T20I ton. Jaiswal got to the three-figure mark at the age of 21 years, nine months and 13 days as he went past Shubman Gill, who was the youngest before at 23 years and 146 days. Jaiswal got his hundred in 48 balls and became the joint-fourth fastest Indian to get a ton in T20Is. Later Shivam Dube's 19-ball 25 and Rinku Singh's 15-ball 37 powered India over 200.
Nepal made a fine start to the chase with Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh but Arshdeep got the first wicket at 29/1 after 3.4 overs. Nepal went into more trouble when the spinners were brought in. Ravi Bishnoi and debutant R Sai Kishore got three and one wickets, respectively. The record-holder for the fastest T20I fifty Dipendra Singh looked for quick runs but was done by Bishnoi at 32.
Rohit Paudel's side looked for quick runs but could not cope with the required rate with Avesh Khan also taking three. The Men in Blue always maintained more than a foot over their opponents but were not comfortable at all times as Nepal tried to hang around. But the big score meant Paudel's side going down by 23 runs. India will take on the winner of the Bangladesh vs Malaysia quarterfinal.
