India and Nepal are currently locked in a face-off in the fifth match of the Asia Cup 2023 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. In this INDIA vs NEPAL match, Nepal cricket team batsman Aasif Sheikh has created history. Nepal’s opener Asif Sheikh played a very good innings against India in the Asia Cup 2023 and he became the first batsman to score a half-century against India for the Nepal cricket team in ODI format. Not only this, he also became the first batsman to score a half-century for Nepal in the Asia Cup.
The right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, who made his debut for Nepal in 2021, displayed his batting skills in the opening overs along with Kushal Bhurtel. In the match against India, Asif’s catch was dropped by Virat Kohli in the second over and after that, he took advantage of this opportunity and played a good inning for his team.
Asif Sheikh scored a half-century against India
Asif Sheikh scored the first half-century in One Day International cricket against India and also became the first Nepalese batsman to do this feat against Team India in this format of cricket. In the match against India, Asif batted patiently and scored an innings of 58 runs in 97 balls. During this inning, he hit 8 fours. In this match, he made a strong partnership of 65 runs for the first wicket with his fellow opener batsman Kushal Bhurtel.
Though Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for a 25-ball 38, Asif Sheikh took his time against the Indian spinners and patiently played a historic knock of 58 off 97 balls. Asif in this match was dismissed by Siraj and his catch was caught by Virat Kohli.
Asif made a big record with Kushal
Nepal’s opener batsman Asif, along with opener batsman Kushal, shared a 65-run partnership for the first wicket against India, and on this basis, both these batsmen made a big record for Nepal in ODI cricket.
Asif and Kushal became the first pair from Nepal to put on a 1000-run partnership in the ODI format.
Highest ODI partnership for Nepal
- 1017 runs – Asif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel
- 585 runs – Asif Sheikh and Rohit Paudel
- 543 runs – Asif Shaikh and Gyanenara Malla
Who is Asif Sheikh?
Born on 22 January 2001, Asif Sheikh’s cricketing journey began with captaining the Nepal Under-19 team in the 2018 Quadrangular Cricket Tournament in India. After this, he also led the Nepal under-19 cricket team in the 2018 ACC Asia Cup. Asif has so far played 42 and 20 T20I matches for the Nepal cricket team, where he has scored 1192 and 468 runs respectively.
The star wicketkeeper-batsman has so far scored one century and 9 half-centuries in ODI cricket, while he has two half-centuries to his credit in T20I cricket. Apart from this, Asif has scored 1279 and 564 runs in 47 List-A and 23 T20 matches respectively in his career so far. The talented cricketer is the eighth-highest wicketkeeper-batsman (685 runs) in an ODI series.
Asif Sheikh is the spirit of ICC cricketer
Asif Sheikh won the 2022 ICC Spirit of Cricket Award. He was given the prestigious honor because of his decision not to run out Irish batsman Andy McBrine during a T20I match against Ireland and is the first Nepalese cricketer to win the award.
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