Asia Cup 2023: Statistical preview of Team Nepal
What's the story
Nepal will make their Asia Cup debut in the 2023 edition of the continental tournament, which will be played in the ODI format. The event will get underway on August 30 with four games in Pakistan and nine in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Nepal have been placed in Group A alongside powerhouses India and Pakistan. Here we present the statistical preview of Team Nepal.
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Unbeaten run in the ACC Men's Premier Cup 2023
Nepal made it to the main event by winning the 2023 ACC Men's Premier Cup. They finished the league stage atop Group A with three wins in four games (NR: 1). Their semi-final clash against Kuwait also got washed out. However, they qualified for the final on the virtue of finishing higher in the league stage. Nepal defeated the UAE in the final.
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Nepal's top performers at the event
With 238 runs in four innings at a tremendous strike rate of 155.55, Kushal Malla was Nepal's highest run-getter at the Men's Premier Cup. Skipper Rohit Paudel hammered 187 runs at 37.40. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane finished as the second-highest wicket-taker, having scalped 13 wickets at an economy of 3.79. Pacer Karan Chhetri returned with 10 wickets in just three matches.
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Here are the key batters
With 1,469 runs in 52 games at an average of 31.93, Paudel is Nepal's highest run-getter in ODI cricket. Aasif Sheikh owns most ODI scores of 50 or more among Nepal batters (10). The tally includes a ton as well. Malla has hammered 541 runs in 18 ODI innings this year at a tremendous strike rate of 107.34.
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Here are the key bowlers
Lamichhane owns 111 ODI wickets. His average of 17.26 is the best among bowlers with at least 50 wickets in the format. With 42 wickets in 19 games, the leg-spinner is also the leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year. Karan Chhetri trails him on this list with 30 scalps in 18 matches. Lalit Rajbanshi has claimed 18 wickets in 10 ODIs this year.
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Here are the approaching milestones
Lamichhane can become the first Nepal bowler to scalp 50 ODI wickets in a calendar year. He needs eight scalps. Paudel is 31 short of becoming the first Nepal batter to complete 1,500 ODI runs. Kushal Bhurtel needs just 14 runs to complete 1,000 runs in ODI cricket. Aarif Sheikh requires 122 runs to get the same milestone.