Nepal’s first win in World Cup qualifying cricket

June 20, 2023 | 20:44:17

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Nepal has won by 6 wickets in the World Cup qualifying match against America. Nepal achieved the target of 208 runs for victory in Harare, Zimbabwe by losing 4 wickets in 43 overs. Bhim Sarki and Dipendrasingh Airi shared a not out 74 run partnership to win Nepal. Sarki remained not out on 77 and Airy on 39 runs.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for 31 and Asif Shaikh for 12 runs. Captain Rohit Paudel returned to the pavilion with 16 runs and Kushal Malla with 13 runs.

After losing the toss and being invited to bat first, America scored 207 runs after losing all wickets in 49 overs. His Sayan Janhagir remained unbeaten on 100 runs.

America had a very bad start. After Karan KC’s deadly bowling in the power play, America had already lost four important wickets when they added 19 runs.

But Sushant Madani and Gajanand Singh handled the innings. Both shared 47 runs for the fifth wicket. Dipendra Singh Airi broke this partnership in the third ball of the 22nd over. Gajanand, who scored 26 runs, was caught at slip by Arif Shaikh.

But Janhagir, who came to bat at number seven, played firmly at the crease. He shared a partnership of 29 runs with Madani for the sixth wicket. Madani, who scored 42 runs, was clean bowled by Lalit Rajvanshi. Nisarga Patel shared a partnership of 34 runs, Patel was caught out by Gulsan Jha from wicketkeeper Asif Shaikh.

Jesse Singh, who came after that, shared a partnership of 42 runs with Janhagir. Jesse was caught out by Dipendra Singh Airi from captain Rohit Paudel.

Janhagir, who stayed at the crease and hit boundaries, shared a 37-run partnership with Saurabh Netrabhalkar for the ninth wicket. In that sequence, he completed his century in 48.3 overs.

He completed 50 runs in 56 balls for the first time in his career and completed his century by adding another 50 runs in 23 more balls.

In the next ball, Gulson bowled Netrabhalkar. Cal Philip, who came to the crease as the last batsman, could not score a run on the first ball. Gulson, who threw a yorker in the next ball, was caught lbw and America was bowled out for 207 runs.

Nepal’s Karan KC alone took 4 wickets while Gulsan Jha took 3 wickets, Dipendra Singh Airi took 2 wickets and Lalit Rajwanshi took one wicket. Sandeep Lamichhane remained wicketless today. He bowled 10 overs and gave away 58 runs.