Owing to the worst batting performance, Nepal lost its first match of the ACC Twenty20 Elite Cup to Malaysia by six wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Nepal made 112/7 in 20 overs – its lowest T20 total – and Malaysia completed the victory in 17.2 overs losing just four wickets. It was Nepal’s first ever defeat at any level to Malaysia.
After winning the toss, Nepal elected to bat first on the surface on which UAE had scored 219 in the morning match. Openers Paresh Lohani and Mehboob Alam batted slow on the flat pitch. Without fireworks in their 49-run stand, they however made the foundation that the remaining batsmen could have used.
Paresh (19 off 20 balls) was first to go while Dipendra Chaudhary (4 off 3) followed soon. Mehboob, the highest scorer of the innings with 31 off 34 balls, followed soon leaving Nepal at 63/3.
Gyanendra Malla and captain Paras Khadka added 29 runs but all Nepal needed at the time was some quick runs which did not come. Gyanendra got 22 off 23 with a six and a four while Paras got 10 off 14.
Nepal was restricted to 112/7 – nine runs less than the previous lowest total scored against Malaysia (121/9) and Afghanistan (121/7) in 2007.
Malaysia’s reply did not start well with opener Damith Warsewithrane going out in the second over bowled by Binod Das. Thusara Kodikara (20 off 12 with four boundaries) and Rakesh Madhavan (30 off 31) recovered from the early blow.
After their fall, for a wicket each to Sanjam Regmi and Paras, Mohd Faiz anchored the innings and took the team to victory with unbeaten 40 off 34.
For Nepal, the total proved little low to defend.
“We had a satisfactory start but the batsmen failed to score in the middle overs,” said coach Roy Dias. “We fell short of at least 30 runs.”
Skipper Paras was also equally disappointed with the performance. “It was a good pitch to bat but we failed to convert our starts into big scores,” said Paras.
Asked about the feeling of losing the first match against Malaysia, Paras said: “It had to happen one day and it happened here. As a captain I tried what I could but the players lack enthusiasm.” He also said the team could have done better despite the low score. “All went wrong today and I urge all the team members to go forward positively and come good in the remaining matches,” he said.
On Monday, Nepal will play Kuwait at the Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
On other matches of Sunday, UAE defeated Singapore by 62 runs, Oman defeated Bahrain by 108 runs, Saudi Arabia beat Hong Kong by a wicket and Kuwait beat Qatar by 65 runs. Much fancied debut of China ended in their 9-wicket defeat by Afghanistan after they were bowled out for 36.
Photo courtesy: Asian Cricket Council & Nepal Sports Journalists Forum
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And any news on the second game??? Can’t find any info on it anywhere!!!
i think nepal cannot win world cup without me.just wait for 5 years.