Skipper Paras Khadka and spinner Shakti Gauchan scripted Nepal’s 24-run win over Bermuda in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers on Sunday at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Player-of-the-match Khadka scored unbeaten 65 runs while Gauchan grabbed three wickets in a must win match for Nepal.
Gauchan is the leading wicket taker in the tournament with 12 wickets off five matches.
With three wins, Nepal have created its chance for the next round. Nepal have to win at least another match to qualify for the second round. Nepal will face Netherlands on Monday and Canada on Tuesday.
Winning the toss, Nepal opted to bat first and scored 151 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Nepal did not start well as they lost the first wicket with just 11 runs on board. Opener Anil Mandal (7) and Pradeep Airee (15) returned to the pavilion by the sixth over.
Sarad Vesawkar and Khadka shared 75-run partnership for the third wicket and pulled the team to a strong position. Vesawkar scored 44 runs off 37 balls with six boundaries.
With the fall of Vesawkar in the 16th over, Nepal continued to lose their wickets. Mehaboob Alam gave away his wicket in the 18th over. Gyanendra Malla (5) and Prithu Baskota (0) were back to the pavilion in 19th over.
Nepal captain Paras Khadka poses for a photograph after receiving man-of-the-match award in the ICC Wold T20 Qualifiers match against Bermuda in the UAE on Sunday. Photo: ICC
Basanta Regmi was not out at 10 runs off 4 balls while Khadka scored 65 runs off 48 balls with eight boundaries and a huge six. This was Khadka’s second half century in the tournament. Dion Stovell grabbed four wickets in his four over spell conceding 25 runs.
Chasing the total of 152 runs, Nepali bowlers restricted Bermuda at 127 runs for the loss five wickets. Gauchan gave a break through to Nepal as he trapped Stovell (16) LBW in the second ball of the fifth over. Two balls later, Gauchan again trapped Lionel Cann (0) LBW.
David Hemp and Steven Outerbridge shared an 18-run partnership but Outerbridge (10) was short to the crease. Hemp and Janeiro Tucker shared a 56-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Skipper Khadka grabbed the wicket of danger man Hemp (26).
Gauchan returned for the second spell and grabbed the wicket of Tucker in the 17th over. Tucker scored 32 runs off 27 balls with two boundaries and a huge six.
Khadka praised the bowlers for the win.
“We’ve good bowling side and it was a good effort by our bowlers. When we were batting this afternoon, after we lost the wicket in the second over, there was a good partnership and it was about me going out there and capitalizing on a good performance. We were getting boundaries pretty easily and out-field was very fast so it all worked in our favor,” said Khadka.
For the match against the Netherlands, skipper Khadka said the team is not out of the tournament and the match is crucial. “In cricket you never know what happens next. We’re here to give our best and we’ll focus on our strengths and try to put up a good result.”