The year 2023 has been nothing short of spectacular for Yashasvi Jaiswal. In May, he dazzled the cricket world with the fastest half-century in the IPL, achieved in just 13 balls. Then, in July, his classic 171-run innings in Dominica, which spanned a remarkable 501 minutes and 387 balls, marked the longest innings by an Indian Test debutant. Now, two months later, at a venue in Hangzhou that may have reminded him of the Mumbai maidans in terms of size, Jaiswal etched his name into history as the youngest Indian to record a T20I century. This remarkable feat propelled India into the semifinals of the men’s competition at the Asian Games, as they triumphed over Nepal by a margin of 23 runs.

Jaiswal’s century was a masterclass in controlled aggression, devoid of reckless slogging, as he reached the coveted three-digit mark in just 49 balls. His innings comprised eight fours and seven towering sixes, playing a pivotal role in India’s final score of 202 for 4. At one point, it seemed India might post an even more imposing total, but they encountered a middle-order stumble before Rinku Singh’s powerful sixes provided the finishing flourish.

Nepal, however, demonstrated their resilience, with a late flourish led by Sundeep Jora that brought the required run rate down to 56 runs needed off the final 24 balls. At this juncture, they had hit more sixes (12) than fours (nine). However, their aggressive approach came at a cost as they continued to lose wickets while pursuing the target.

With more substantial support from one of their top-order batsmen, Nepal might have pulled off a stunning upset. Yet, their efforts were thwarted, primarily due to the variety of deliveries in Ravi Bishnoi’s repertoire, including a deceptive skiddy googly and a zippy flipper. Bishnoi’s figures of 3 for 24 in the middle overs piled further pressure on Nepal. The significance of his spell was magnified after the fast bowlers endured a tough time, conceding a combined total of 112 runs in their 11 overs while taking five wickets.

Nepal ultimately finished with a score of 179 for 9, ending their journey with a commendable performance. Their remarkable run had previously taken them to the World Cup Qualifiers and the Asia Cup, culminating in an appearance at the Asian Games.