Nepal make it three in a row

Kathmandu, October 7

Nepal national cricket team defeated Thailand by 140 runs in the third match of the ICC World Twenty20 Asia Region Qualifier ‘B’ match in Kuala Lumpur today.

Batting first at the Bayuemas Oval, Nepal rode on Karan KC’s whirlwind knock to post 172-7 in their allotted 20 overs before torrential rain stopped the match when Thailand were reeling at 18-9 in 8.5 overs. No further play was possible and Nepal won the match under D-L Method for their third straight victory.

Nepal had defeated Myanmar and Malaysia in their previous matches. Nepal are in East Sub-regional Group along with Malaysia, Singapore, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Thailand. Nepal currently lead the standing with six points and are ahead of Singapore in superior net run rate. Thailand are third with five, followed by Malaysia (three), Bhutan (two) and Myanmar (two). China are yet to open their accounts.

Nepal made a mediocre start with the bat after Thailand invited them to take the first strike. Openers Anil Kumar Sah and Binod Bhandari put 28 runs on the board in 2.3 overs before the latter was dismissed for 15 off eight balls that included two fours and a six.

Sah and Sharad Vesawkar then added 24 runs for the second wicket before Thailand struck again. Sah departed scoring 25 off 17 balls with the help of five boundaries. Dipendra Singh Airee joined Vesawkar at the middle and they shared a 45-run partnership for the third wicket before Nepali batting line crumbled and lost five wickets for 29 runs.

Airee scored 26-ball 30 that included three fours and a six, while Vesawkar struck two fours in his 28-ball 34. Aarif Sheikh (eight), skipper Paras Khadka (seven) and vice-captain Gyanendra Malla (seven) all returned to the pavilion in quick succession as Nepal were reduced to 127-7.

Karan KC then singlehandedly took the team to safety. He clobbered two fours and four sixes in his unbeaten knock of 40 off just 14 balls. KC hit Thailand bowler Nicholas Allan Janes, who bowled the only over of the match conceding 24 runs, for three consecutive sixes from the third ball and completed three runs in the last delivery. KC and Sompal Kami, who remained unbeaten on run-a-ball four, added 44 runs off 16 balls for the unbroken eighth wicket.

In reply, the Thailand batsmen struggled in front of Nepali bowlers and none of them could score in double figures before the match was halted. Sandeep Lamichhane returned with the second successive five-wicket haul, taking 5-8 from three overs, while man-of-the-match KC took 3-2 from 1.5 overs. The match was stopped due to rain after KC took two wickets in two balls. Nepal will now take on Bhutan on Tuesday.