Nepali national cricket team started its India tour in a winning note as it defeated DI Khan Coaching Center, Delhi by 42 runs in the first practice match on Sunday.
Nepali team, which is touring India in its preparation bid for the ACC T20 Elite Cup and ICC World Cricket League Division 3, elected to bat at the DI Khan Senior Secondary School Ground, Delhi.
Nepal was all out for 203 runs in 39.3 overs in the match reduced to 40 overs per side due to wet outfield. According to Nepali team’s Technical Analyst Raman Siwakoti, Binod Bhandari top scored for Nepal. Bhandari clobbered 69 runs off 56 balls including six boundaries and four sixes. Sharad Vesawkar scored 42 runs off 58 balls while Subash Khakurel hit 34 runs off 44 balls. Anil Mandal scored 16 runs off 38 balls.
Aman Sirohi claimed six wickets for the Center. Sirohi bowled eight overs and gave away 50 runs to dismiss six Nepali batsmen. Nikunj Khandelwal claimed two wickets.
Nepali bowlers responded equally good and bundled out the home team for 161 runs in 39.3 overs. Aditya Saini scored 37 runs off 65 balls and Sunny Shankwar added 23 runs off 29 balls. Sagar Kalyan chipped in with 21 runs off 30 balls but could not guide the home team to victory.
Nepali captain Paras Khadka took three wickets. His bowling figure was 6-0-19-3. Basant Regmi and Chandra Sawad claimed two wickets each. Amrit Bhattarai and Shakti Gauchan dismissed one home batsman each.
Nepal will play its second 50-over practice match against VijayDahiyaAcademy on Monday.
Nepali team has a plan to play four 50-over matches and six T20s against local academies and clubs during the tour that ends on March 10.
Nepal is to host the ACC T20 Cup from March 26 to April 3 in Kathmandu while Nepal is to visit Bermuda for Division 3 scheduled for April 28 to May 5.