Binod Bhandari’s blistering half-century guided Nepal to a two-wicket victory over Moors Sports Club on Friday in the second practice match of the national cricket team in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Nepal bowled out the top tier Sri Lankan club at 147/10 in 36.2 overs and met the target in 32.2 overs losing eight wickets.
Nepal team is in Sri Lanka to prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers to be held in New Zealand from January 16 to February 1, 2014. Nepal team will fly to New Zealand directly from Sri Lanka. Nepal has a plan to have some practice sessions and matches in New Zealand before playing the qualifiers.
Chasing the small total, Nepal lost wickets in regular interval. Opening partnership between Anil Mandal and Mahesh Chhetri ended when Nepal was at 11 runs. Mandal added only six runs. Chhetri also added only seven runs off 26 balls before departing. Gyanendra Malla (eight runs) and skipper Paras Khadka (28 runs off 32 balls) fell in quick succession leaving Nepal to languish at 59/4.
Sharad Vesawkar (17 runs off 32 balls) and Bhandari put up a 67-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Bhandari blasted 52 runs off 29 balls. He struck seven boundaries and three sixes.
Pradeep Airee departed without scoring while Basant Regmi added just four runs. Nepal was at 135/8 by the end of the 27th over. However, Prithu Baskota (unbeaten five runs off 20 balls) and Shakti Gauchan (unbeaten 10 runs off 20 balls) kept their cool to seal the victory.
Malinda Pushpakumara claimed four wickets for the host club while Kaushalya Gajasinghe and Shehan Jayasoriya dismissed two Nepali batsmen each.
Nepal’s medium pacers Avinash Karn and Jitendra Mukhiya claimed the first four wickets of the Sri Lankan club and captain Khadka dismissed one to limit Moors at 78/5 in 16.1 over.
Dilhara Lokuhettige, who has played nine ODI and two T20 matches for Sri Lanka, tried to anchor the Moors’ innings scoring 55 runs off 55 balls. Moors’ tail fell cheaply putting up small target of 148 runs to Nepal.
Besides Karn and Mukhiya, Shakti Gauchan and Anil Mandal claimed two wickets each. Skipper Khadka and Basant Regmi dismissed a batsman each.
Nepal will take on Sri Lanka Ports Authority Club on Tuesday in its third practice match.