Kathmandu, July 23
Nepal national cricket team faced a four-wicket loss in their first match of the ICC T20 World Cup Asian Regional Finals Qualifier in Singapore today.
Batting first, Nepal were bowled out for 122 runs in 20 overs before Qatar reached 124-6 with four balls to spare. Nepal are at the bottom of the five-team table with home team Singapore leading the standing with three points after their second match against Kuwait was washed out. Top team after the round robin league will make it to the global qualifiers to be held in the UAE in October-November.
On Tuesday, Nepal made a solid start with openers Paras Khadka and Gyanendra Malla scoring 49 runs in power-play before the skipper holed out in the last ball of the sixth over in an attempt to play a big shot. The opening partnership is the highest for Nepal in Twenty20 Internationals emulating the previous best of 36-run stand between Subash Khakurel and Sagar Pun scored during World T20 in 2014. Khadka struck four boundaries and a six in his 17-ball 28 before handing a catch to Nouman Sarwar off Inam-ul-Haq.
His deputy, Malla departed nine runs later and Nepal middle order failed to revive the innings. Malla scored 23 off 24 balls hitting two fours and a six, while Dipendra Singh Airee top scored with 34 off 35 balls that included one each four and six. Sompal Kami (11) was the only other batsman who managed to score in double figures for Nepal, who lost the last six wickets for a just 15 runs.
Iqbal Hussain was the pick of the Qatari bowlers taking 3-21, while Tamoor Sajjad and Nouman Sarwar shared four wickets between them and Inam-ul-Haq grabbed one.
In reply, Nepal did drag the match to final over but failed to defend the title despite playing with six bowlers. Inam-ul-Haq top scored with 41 off 32 balls hitting six fours, while Kamran Khan struck two each fours and sixes in his 15-ball 22. Nouman Sarwar remained unbeaten on run-a-ball 15.
Star bowler Sandeep Lamichhane made the first breakthrough removing opener Faisal Javed with just 13 runs on the board and Karan KC dismissed Kamran Khan to reduce Qatar to 38-2 in 4.1 overs. Unlike Nepali middle order batsmen, the Qataris build small but crucial partnerships and they were never behind the required run rate.
Dipendra Singh Airee and wicketkeeper Binod Bhandari combined to affect two run outs in the space of two runs to make it 99-6 in 14.4 overs and revive Nepal’s hopes but Sarwar and Mohammed Rizlan (nine) took Qatar home without further loss adding 25 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket. Lamichhane was the most successful bowler for Nepal taking 3-33 from four overs, while Karan KC took one.
Nepal will face Malaysia in the second match on Wednesday. The two sides had played a two-match T20 International series in Kuala Lumpur before moving to Singapore with Nepal claiming the first-ever series sweep winning both the matches comfortably.
Injured Khadka doubtful
Beaten by lowly Qatar in the ICC T20 World Cup Asian Regional Finals Qualifier in Singapore, Nepal national cricket team received yet another blow after skipper Paras Khadka could not enter the field in the second innings. Khadka, who opened the innings with his deputy Gyanendra Malla, said the back pain started from the first ball of the match.
“I was in pain from the first ball and played as it was not a heavy one,” Khadka told reporters after the match. “The pain increased after I returned to the pavilion and I was not able to play in the second innings,” added Khadka, who shared the 49-run stand with Malla.
The loss against Qatar has out Nepal in a must win situation in the next three matches and the team management is yet to declare the status of Khadka. Nepal coach Umesh Patwal accepted that the injury to his skipper affected the outcome of the match but said his side lost due to bad cricket.
“Khadka is a true leader and he could have changed the complexion of the match but we did not lose because of his absence. We did not play good cricket,” Patwal added.
The post Nepal go down to Qatar in opening tie appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
Written by Sandeep Sen
This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/nepal-go-down-to-qatar-in-opening-tie/ under the title “Nepal go down to Qatar in opening tie”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
