In a thrilling encounter at TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Nepal secured a memorable victory in the first match of the five-game T20 series against West Indies A. This victory marks a significant milestone for Nepal cricket, especially as the series serves as a crucial warm-up ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup matches later this year.
Opting to field first, Nepal got off to a strong start by claiming the wicket of opener Johnson Charles in the very first over, courtesy of Kamal Singh Airee. Despite some resistance from the West Indies A batsmen, Nepal managed to restrict the visitors to a total of 204 runs, with Roston Chase leading the charge with a half-century.
Chasing a challenging target of 205 runs, Nepal faced early setbacks with the loss of openers Anil Sah and Kushal Bhurtel. However, captain Rohit Paudel emerged as the hero of the day, smashing a magnificent 112 runs off just 54 balls, including an impressive display of boundaries and sixes.
Paudel’s stellar innings, which marked his first T20 century for the national team, was instrumental in guiding Nepal to victory. Supported by contributions from Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulsan Jha, Nepal successfully chased down the target with four wickets in hand and two balls to spare.
The match showcased Nepal’s growing prowess in the T20 format and provided a boost of confidence ahead of the upcoming challenges. With the second match of the series scheduled for Sunday, Nepal will look to carry forward the momentum and further assert their dominance on the cricketing stage.
