Nepal had a chance to salvage pride today after the first-day’s dismal show in the ACC Fast Track Countries Tournament tie, but wasted it letting visiting UAE run away with a comprehensive 10-wicket victory at the TU Cricket Ground.
After being dismissed for paltry 64 on the first innings, Nepal had raised some hopes with 54/0 in the second innings at the stumps yesterday. But the batsmen failed to keep up the pace and were bowled out for mere 180 that gave UAE a winning target of 36. UAE, who had scored 209 in the first innings, ran to victory without losing any wickets.
“We lost the match on the first session of the match,†coach Roy Dias said after the match. “There were no dedication and commitment from my players as they were not mentally prepared for the game.†Dias added that the result might also be the result of lack of match practices as Nepali players aren’t used to longer version of the game.
With the win, UAE confirmed a berth in the final while Nepal is out of it with 35.5 points from three matches. Both the team had a game left against Hong Kong. Nepal got 9.5 points from the game and UAE claimed 28.5.
Nepali openers Sarad Vesawkar and Shakti Gauchan resumed the day with hopes of staying long at the crease. But soon the hope fell apart as both of them were caught behind playing away from the body. Sarad nicked a away moving delivery from Ali Asad to Arshad Ali at slip adding one more to his overnight total.
Shakti stayed two overs more before chasing a outswinger from Syed Fawad and edging the ball to diving wicketkeeper – Taskeen Sadique. Paresh Lohani and Mehboob Alam, the regular openers who didn’t open due to injury, replaced them.
Hard-hitting Mehboob played a few shots sensibly before launching himself forward for sixer off Fawad. His shot didn’t connect well and the ball towered before falling safely on the hands of Fahad Usman at point. He made seven.
Paras was unlucky as he ran himself out on the first ball. He pushed the ball towards mid-wicket for a run but was sent back by Paresh from mid-way. Captain Raju Khadka showed some improvement but didn’t stay longer scoring 12 off 15 deliveries before felling leg before to counterpart Mohammad Tauquir.
Tauquir took three wickets – as much as his fellow spinner Rizwan Latif, who started with Raju Basnet. Raju stayed 30 balls and scored three before edging one to wicketkeeper.
Paresh, who was carrying an injury on his toe and in the latter part of his innings played with a runner, tried to put things back with vice-captain Binod Das. But after adding 18 more, his long stride forward to defend Rizwan’s delivery caught him off the guard. He missed the ball and Taskeen did a smart job to stump him out.
It was Binod, who saved Nepal from the humiliating innings defeat scoring unbeaten 35 off 94 deliveries. He added 12 with Manoj Katuwal and more importantly 33 with Sanjam Regmi before Tauquir removed Sanjam and last man – Raj Kumar Pradhan in four balls.
Nepal could have taken at least a wicket in UAE’s second innings but substitute Bikash Dali dropped Naeemuddin at slip off Binod when he had scored only two. He went on the score 23 off 41 balls while Arshad Ali got 14. Ali Asad was declared man of the match for his eight wickets in the match and 45 runs.
All photographs: Ujjwal Acharya for NepalCricket.com; Text: No Reproduction without credit to NepalCricket.com.