Asia Cup 2023: The encounter between India and Nepal may have been truncated due to rain at Sri Lanka's Pallekele, but it was a day of jubilation for Indian captain Rohit Sharma and opener Shubman Gill. In pursuit of a revised DLS target of 145 in 23 overs, both Sharma and Gill steered India to a resounding 10-wicket victory over Rohit Paudel's Nepal at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Monday. Both openers effortlessly crossed the fifty-run mark, and Rohit Sharma went on to etch his name in India's cricket history with a record in the Asia Cup.
Sharma eclipsed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in the list of Indians with the most fifty-plus scores in the Asia Cup (combining ODIs and T20Is). The skipper's unbeaten 74 off 59 balls marked his 10th fifty-plus innings in this continental tournament, propelling him past Tendulkar's nine such remarkable performances. Sharma now leads the chart among Indians in terms of fifty-plus scores in the Asia Cup, trailing only behind Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who boasts an impressive tally of 12 fifty-plus knocks.
Rohit Sharma Reigns Supreme in Sixes
Furthermore, Sharma now reigns supreme in the category of Indians with the most sixes in ODI Asia Cup matches. The 36-year-old cricketer struck five sixes during his 59-ball innings, surpassing former player Suresh Raina. With 23 sixes to his name in the 50-over format of the Asia Cup, Sharma has firmly established himself ahead of Raina, who managed 18 maximums. Amongst all-time six-hitters in the Asia Cup, Sharma currently ranks third, trailing Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, who unleashed 26 and 23 sixes, respectively.
In a rain-affected game between India and Nepal, the Men in Blue secured victory in 20.1 overs with their openers remaining unbeaten. India has advanced to the Super Four stage of the tournament and is set to face Pakistan in their first match on September 10.
