Asia Cup 2023 | IND vs NEP, Match 5 - Top Captain and Vice-captain Picks

image-lm3siqp7Hardik Pandya was great with the bat in the last match against Pakistan (Source: AP Photos)

India (IND) will be challenged by Nepal (NEP) in the 5th match of the Asia Cup 2023. The match will be played at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium in Pallekelle on 4th September 2023 at 3:00 PM IST. It's expected to be a fairly one-sided affair which increases the importance of your captain & vice-captain selections in fantasy cricket. Don't worry, we'll help you out with that in this article. 


IND vs NEP, Match 5: Venue Analysis

The match will be played at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium. The venue has been a decent one for batting with some assistance for the bowlers. It will be a little difficult initially with the new ball, particularly in the second innings under lights. 

Spinners will come into play as the game progresses & batting will be easy once the batters are set which we saw in the India vs Pakistan game where Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya did well after a good opening burst from the Pakistan pacers. 

For More Such Reads from OneCricket, Click Here.

IND vs NEP, Match 5: Toss Factor

Toss will be the most important factor in this game while constructing your fantasy teams. Let's discuss about the different scenarios in detail: 

Scenario: India Wins the Toss

There's no doubt that India will be looking to bat first in this game. The top order needs some game time and match practice after a shaky start against Pakistan and it will be an ideal situation for the likes of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to get some runs under their belt. In this case, the Indian top order players (top 4) will be an automatic pick in your fantasy pick alongside the death bowlers from Nepal. 

Scenario: Nepal Wins the Toss

Nepal, on the other hand, will also look to bat first if they win the toss. They'll look to bat first and score a good total and then try to defend that. In this case, the Indian bowlers will come into play as captain & vice-captain as they can bundle out the opposition for a fairly low score which won't provide ample runs for the batters to fetch good points in fantasy cricket. 


IND vs NEP, Match 5: Top Captain and Vice-Captain Choices

Scenario: India Bats First

As mentioned earlier, the Indian batters will come into play if India bats first. The top order can score plenty of runs and India is expected to pose a huge total. 

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma looked in decent touch in his brief stay against Pakistan. He played a couple of flamboyant shots and will be eager to get some runs in this game. Nepal's bowling unit doesn't look that threatening to Rohit and he can be in for a big score in this game. We all know what he is capable of on his day. Rohit will be an excellent captain/vice-captain pick if India bats first. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli will be another great C/VC option if India is batting first. Kohli is amongst the all-time greats and will look to get some form behind him before the Super 4 stage of the tournament. Nepal may pick a wicket early with the new ball and it will bring Kohli in the game big time with a great opportunity to score big. He has been in good form recent which further backs his selection as C/VC. 


Scenario: Nepal Bats First

Mohammad Siraj

Mohammad Siraj has been in phenomenal form in the 50-over format. He is excellent with the new ball and is equally good in the death overs. The conditions are expected to be overcast and with some rain around, Siraj can exploit the moisture early with the new ball and can rattle up the Nepalese top order. There is ample assistance in the second innings with the new ball under lights which means that Siraj will be in for a good game irrespective of whether he bowls in the first innings or the second. 

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah will bowl with the new ball and then towards the end of the innings. He was in decent form in the series against Ireland but this will be his first 50-over game since his return from injury. Bumrah can also exploit the movement with the new ball and pick wickets in clusters, fetching you plenty of points in fantasy cricket. 


IND vs NEP, Match 5: Big Risk, Big Return Choices

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav is a genuine wicket-taker and he picks up wickets in clusters when on song. He was in excellent form in the recent tour of West Indies and will be a top differential captain or vice-captain choice in this game. 

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill struggled very badly against Pakistan but Nepal's bowling unit is not that threatening and he is expected to do well if India bats first. Gill is a prodigy and he will be itching to score some big runs in this game and gain some confidence ahead of the all important Super four stage. Select Gill as C/VC in big league if India is batting first.