Kathmandu [Nepal], April 28 (ANI): Nepal registered its first victory in the five-game T20 series with West Indies A which has come as a warm-up for the ICC T-20 World Cup matches this year on Saturday.
In a thrilling game held at TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday, Nepal chased the 205 runs target in the stipulated 20 overs in the inaugural match. Nepali captain Rohit Paudel smashed a massive 54-ball 112 runs to help the Rhinos amass 206 runs to overcome the target in 19.4 overs with four wickets remaining.
It also became his first ever T20 century of his cricketing career from the national team. The visitors had collected 204 runs on the back of a half-century by West Indies A captain Roston Chase.
Nepal who opted to field first got the wicket of opener Johnson Charles for a duck in the final ball of the first over. It was Kamal Singh Airee who sent Charles to the pavilion in the very first over.
Following it, wicketkeeper Andre Fletcher returned to the pavilion after being run out for a 5-ball 13 in 3.3 overs.
Charles’ opening partner Alick Athanaze held on as he smashed five hits to the fences and three sixes to score 47 off 25 balls on the scoreboard. Athanaze was caught by Lalit Rajbanshi off Paudel in 6.5 overs.
The visitors were 3-86 before captain Chase cracked a half-century, putting 74 runs, including nine boundaries and two sixes, on the scoreboard. He also built two half-century partnerships with Keacy Carty (38) and Kadeem Alleyne for the fourth and fifth wicket respectively before being caught by Kushal Malla off Dipendra Singh Airee in 19.4 overs.
Chasing 205, Nepal initially stumbled, losing openers Anil Sah (5) and Kushal Bhurtel (16) cheaply. Captain Paudel put his best leg forward as he fired 10 hits to the fences and six maximums to score his first T20 century.
In the process, he also built a half-century stand with Dipendra Singh Airee, who contributed 24 runs facing 18 deliveries. Nepal needed nine runs in the final over when Gulsan Jha (9) fired two hits to the boundaries to seize victory for the Rhinos.
The second of the five-match bilateral series is scheduled for Sunday. (ANI)
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