Ahead of the crucial encounter between India and Nepal, Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel unveiled his team’s strategies to handle India’s star batsmen, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, whom he termed as the nation’s “inspiration.”
Having progressed through Group A of the tournament, where Pakistan secured a spot in the Super Four stage with three points, following a win over Nepal and a rain-affected tie against arch-rivals India, both India (1 point) and Nepal (0 points) are now poised for a must-win scenario to advance.
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Addressing the media at a pre-match press conference, Paudel conveyed his team’s eagerness to face India, emphasizing the significance of representing Nepal on a grand stage against a cricketing giant like India. He noted, “We are excited to play against India. India is a big country. We are all excited to represent Nepal against India at the biggest stage.”
Acknowledging the prowess of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have been pivotal figures for India for over a decade, Paudel disclosed that the Nepal team has devised strategies to counter their impact. “Virat and Rohit have been the stars for their country for over ten years. We have made plans to tackle them and hopefully, we will execute them tomorrow,” he remarked.
Paudel went on to hail Virat Kohli as an “inspiration” not just for his exceptional work ethic, but also for his unwavering discipline both on and off the field. He further expressed his delight at the positive response from fans despite Nepal’s heavy defeat to Pakistan in their opening match.
Reflecting on the team’s journey, Paudel highlighted the dedication of the players over the past few years, emphasizing their desire to honor the efforts of previous generations by performing at the highest level. He acknowledged that facing India would be a “fanboy moment” for the Nepal team, considering the presence of numerous cricketing superstars within the Men in Blue ranks.
However, Paudel concluded by asserting that once the players step onto the field, the focus will shift to the competition at hand, emphasizing their determination to secure victory against India.
Important Links: 2023 Asia Cup Schedule | Asia Cup 2023 Points Table
India Squad for Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve).
Nepal Squad for Asia Cup: Rohit Paudel (c), 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.
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