India vs Nepal, Asian Games 2023 highlights: NEP fell 23 short but gave IND a fight. Follow updates and full scorecard of men’s cricket at the Asian Games.
India vs Nepal, Asian Games 2023 live score(Screengrab)
India vs Nepal, Asian Games 2023 Highlights: India defeated Nepal by 23 runs to seal themselves a place in the semifinal. But contrary to what many expected, Nepal gave them a fight which no one say coming. Saying India survived a scare today wouldn’t be an exaggeration as Nepal finished on 179/9 in reply to India’s 202/4. Despite having Nepal 4 down at 77, Dipendra Airee, Sundeep Jora and Karan KC struck some lusty blows to raise the possibility of a huge upset, but in the end, the Indian bowlers used their experience to avoid a shocker. Three wickets each to Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan did the trick for India, but loopholes remain.
Avesh struck early to provide India with an important breakthrough, and debutant R Sai Kishore dismissed Kushan Bhurtel, adding to the early pressure on Nepal during their chase. Subsequently, Nepal’s situation worsened as they kept losing wickets while attempting to cope with a demanding required run rate. This challenging situation came after Yashasvi Jaiswal dished out a brilliant performance with a 48-ball century, and Rinku Singh played an explosive innings, scoring 37 runs off just 15 balls, which included four powerful sixes. These stellar innings allowed India to post a formidable 202/4 against Nepal in the Asian Games 2023 cricket quarterfinal 1 held in Hangzhou.
After India captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and opted to bat in Hangzhou, the openers, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jaiswal teed off inside the Powerplay, bringing up the fifty inside four overs. Jaiswal took all off just 22 balls to bring up his half-century, and continued to make merry despite his partner and captain, Gaikwad subdued. Gaikwad finally got a couple of boundaries going but it did not last long as he perished for 25 trying to clear the boundary.
Nepal then landed a couple of more blows with Sompal Kami cleaning up Tilak Varma and Sandeep Lamichhane dismissing Jitesh Sharma out caught and bowled, even though Jaiswal’s big hits kept India ticking. Jaiswal held up one end to complete his century but departed soon after denting India’s hopes of reaching 200 immensely. But Rinku did Rinku things, and smashed two sixes and two fours in the final over to help India breach that mark.
Prachanda’s assurances to Xi, covered widely by the Chinese press, were in contrast to speculation he would ask Beijing to build the BRI projects in Nepal under a grant mechanism, which would allay fears that the project will push Nepal into a debt trap.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda
Nepal will continue to actively participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said, laying to rest speculation that he would push Beijing for measures to safeguard Nepal from falling into a debt trap.
Prachanda, who flew to Hangzhou from New York to witness the inaugural session of the Asian Games, has told Chinese President Xi Jinping that his government will further promote the Trans-Himalayan network as it will “greatly assist” Nepal’s national economic development. The Trans-Himalayan network, an economic corridor between Nepal and China, is part of the BRI.
In recent days, China’s Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, has been under significant diplomatic and media scrutiny because of a series of overly undiplomatic comments on Nepal’s internal issues and its relations with India during a conference in Kathmandu.
India-Nepal-Relation File Image
With Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, or ‘Prachanda,’ scheduled to visit Beijing for a bilateral summit later this month, the timing, tone, and tenor of the ambassador’s rhetoric have received closer inspection.
Why would a Chinese diplomat, even one following the now infamous wolf-warrior ideology, risk undermining the success of a bilateral meeting, the outcomes of which could give massive relief to the people of Nepal?
To even a casual follower, it is clear that China’s relations with Nepal have faced growing strain in recent months due to a combination of factors, including China’s failure to make meaningful progress on BRI projects in Nepal, failed attempts at political interference and an unwillingness in Beijing to accept terms which would be sustainable for Kathmandu.
Is China Bid To Woo Nepali Communists Failing?
The main line of action for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been to promote Communist parties in Nepal. The CCP is clear that a Communist-led government in Nepal would be more likely to ‘fall in line’ like that of Pakistan.
This is evident in reports speculating that China played a role in facilitating the unification of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in 2018.
The extensive role played by the former ambassador Hou Yanqi in this regard has been well documented. However, the fall of the Communist government in Kathmandu, followed by Prachanda choosing to visit India before China, was very upsetting for Beijing. Ambassador Hou was promptly replaced by Ambassador Chen in January this year as the CCP sought to reverse the loss of control over Kathmandu.
It is curious, therefore, as to why the new ambassador would choose this time to highlight weaknesses in Nepal’s economy, criticize its economic policies, both national and international, and openly spew hate toward India-Nepal relations.
By using select data, without adequate context, Chen tried to deride Nepal’s electricity exports to India, which have been a source of significant pride to Nepal.
China’s Hydropower Projects In Nepal
According to recent reports in the Nepali media, in the last decade, installed hydropower production in Nepal has increased from 1,050 MW in 2012 to 2,700 MW in 2023, and this is expected to increase to 9,000 MW in the next ten years, as 235 hydropower plants are still under construction.
Accordingly, India has agreed to buy more than 10,000 MW from Nepal over the next decade to ensure the long-term economic sustainability of these projects. In the last fiscal alone, India has procured electricity worth over Rs 1000 crore from Nepal, which is likely to grow steadily shortly.
In contrast, Nepal has unsuccessfully negotiated with China since 2018 to develop a cross-border 400KV transmission line. Moreover, with China planning its mega-hydropower projects in Tibet, China is not likely to import electricity from Nepal and may want to export it.
This may explain the continued delay of the 756-megawatt Tamor Hydropower Project, agreed upon in 2019 as a joint venture between Nepal and China. Maybe the ambassador was making it clear to Kathmandu that Beijing is only interested in projects that serve its purposes.
Nepal’s Suspicions Over China’s BRI
Another significant area where the Nepal-China relationship was expected to thrive was economic progress and infrastructure development, mainly through China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, despite Nepal becoming a signatory to the BRI in 2017, progress on the promised projects has remained stagnant.
This includes crucial infrastructure projects like upgrading and repairing highways and developing economic corridors. Ambassador Song also recently claimed that the inaugurated Pokhara International Airport was built under the BRI framework.
This subsequently caused significant embarrassment to Beijing when the Nepali government pointed out that the airport was not included in the BRI agreement but was from a bilateral arrangement that pre-dated the BRI. It is reported that none of the nine BRI projects in Nepal have seen any headway.
Moreover, Nepal’s PM will likely firmly demand more economically sustainable mechanisms for the planned BRI projects in the upcoming summit. Economic stability is a significant concern when considering future projects in the current global economic slowdown.
Kathmandu Wary Of Beijing’s Debt Trap
Nepal, like most developing economies, is not in a position to undertake massive projects through loans that could potentially undermine its economic stability. The recent examples of Sri Lanka’s debt crisis and Pakistan’s ongoing financial meltdown, which were significantly exacerbated by Chinese loan-related issues, would undoubtedly play a prominent role in dissuading Prachanda from accepting similar terms for financing.
However, Xi Jinping’s BRI is not a grant-based initiative, and Nepal’s or Sri Lanka’s problems are not Beijing’s, as seen in recent times! The outcome of the bilateral Nepal-China summit could, therefore, have profound implications on the overall success of the BRI.
Another aspect that the CCP would need to consider is Nepal’s engagement with the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact in 2022. This move may be seen as diversifying Nepal’s international partnerships, potentially reducing its dependence on China.
Moreover, with the US, India, and other economic partners recently initiating large-scale trans-continental infrastructure and connectivity projects, Nepal may be better served by reconsidering some of the BRI mega-projects altogether.
The Indian men’s football team was up against Nepal in their second match of the ongoing SAFF Championship in Bengaluru on Saturday (June 24), and for the second match in a row, Indian players broke into an ugly fight with opposition players on the field, the video of which is now going viral on the internet.
The Sunil Chettri-led Indian men’s football team was up against Nepal on Saturday (June 24) during their second match of the ongoing SAFF Championship. In a match that was played at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, thanks to goals from skipper Chhetri (62nd minute) and winger Naorem Mahesh Singh (70th minute), India managed to secure a 2-0 win. The win on Saturday was India’s second success in a row. The Blue Tigers had earlier defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 4-0 in their opening match. In that game, Chettri scored a hat trick.
Like in the first match against Pakistan, in the second game as well, Chhetri was on the scoresheet, but apart from that, there was also an ugly fight between the players from both countries. The incident happened during the 64th minute of the match when India’s Rahul Bheke and Nepal’s Bimal Gharti Magar went up for a header, and the former landed awkwardly. On getting up, the 32-year-old Indian charged at Magar, prompting other players from India and Nepal to get into the scuffle.
[1/2] A general view of the Everest base camp taken from a drone, in Nepal April 24, 2023. REUTERS/Pasang Rinzee SherpaA record number of mountaineers expected on Mount Everest during the current spring climbing season has sparked fears of a traffic jam when teams make their final ascent through the “death zone” to the summit of the world’s tallest peak.
Overcrowding and high numbers of relatively inexperienced climbers were cited as key factors when nine people died high up on the 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) peak in May, 2019 – during one of the deadliest seasons for years.
Anyone wanting to climb Everest by the end of May, when the weather is usually still favourable, should have obtained a Nepal government permit by the end this month.
So far, Nepal has handed out a record 463 permits to climb Everest between March and May, beating 2021’s 409.
“The challenges with more climbers on the mountain will be potential traffic jams on the climbing route, especially if the weather windows are few and far between,” Garrett Madison of U.S. based Madison Mountaineering company said in a WhatsApp message from the base camp.
“This can lead to climbers running out of oxygen and facing exhaustion/exposure in the ‘death zone’,” he added, referring to altitude above 8,000 metres (26,246 feet) where the air is too thin to survive for long without supplementary oxygen.
The greatest risk of delays occur at the Hillary Step, a steep 12 metre rock face, just 180 metres below the summit, putting it high in the ‘death zone’.
Home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, Nepal is often criticised by some Western climbers for allowing anyone who can pay the $11,000 fee for a permit to climb Everest – a charge the government denies.
“Many of the companies now guiding on the south side of Everest are taking climbers who have not yet developed the experience necessary to safely navigate the difficulties,” said Adrian Ballinger of U.S.-based Alpenglow Expeditions, who has moved his activities to the Chinese side.
This year, Chinese nationals have received the most permits, with 96, and U.S. climbers have received the second most with 87, while climbers from India got 40.
A second climbing season runs from September to November but is not as popular.
For every climber there is typically at least one local sherpa.
Climbing is a key earner for the poor country, where about 500,000 people are employed in tourism, including climbing, and the number of permits has been rising steadily.
So far this year, Nepal has granted permits to 1,046 climbers for 24 peaks, earning the government $5.6 million, of which $5 million came from Everest alone.
Each climber spends at least $26,700 on an expedition in Nepal, including on permit fees, gas, food, guides and local travel, said Ang Tshering Sherpa of Nepali expedition organising company Asian Trekking.
Yubaraj Khatiwada, director at Nepal’s Department of Tourism, rebuffed criticism of the number of permits awarded, and he said a team of doctors and government officials would be stationed at the Everest base camp for the first time to manage climbing activities throughout the season.
There are more than 150 people on board including 50 Nepali passengers.
A Fly Dubai aircraft with nearly 150 people on board on Monday reported fire in one of its engines soon after taking off (File Photo / REUTERS)
A Dubai-bound aircraft with nearly 150 people on board on Monday reported a problem in one of its engines soon after taking off from the Tribhuvan International Airport here, according to airport sources.
The FlyDubai aircraft heading towards Dubai returned back and hovered over the skies in Dharke after a problem was reported in one of its engines, sources said.
The pilots later told the control tower they will continue after finding out that all indicators are normal.
“The aircraft switched off its engine for some time after encountering the problem and now it is heading towards the destination without landing in Kathmandu airport,” Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal was quoted as saying by a private television news channel.
“The FlyDubai flight FZ 576 experienced a bird strike during takeoff from Kathmandu. After following standard procedure the flight will to continue as normal to Dubai and is scheduled to land at 00:14 local time,” a spokesperson for the airlines said.
The aircraft took off from Tribhuvan International Airport at 9.20 am.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati shared on his Facebook account that the FlyDubai plane was flying to its destination safely and urged all not to worry about it.
A Fly Dubai plane caught fire while taking off from Kathmandu Airport.
