Match Summary:
PNG 140/6 (Jones 55, Dai 36, Paras 3/23) vs. Nepal 141/3 in 18.4 overs (Bhandari 51, Khakurel 38, CR Amini 1/30)
Nepal registered an emphatic seven wicket victory over PNG thanks to a swashbuckling 23 ball half century from Binod Bhandari.
Binod Bhandari smacked 6 sixes and 1 four in as he scored 51 off just 23 balls as Nepal chased PNG 141 run target with 10 balls to spare. This is the first half century for Binod in Twenty20 Cricket. He added 71 runs with Paras Khadka for the 3rd wicket in just 31 balls. Paras Khadka who is usually the one with innings like that of Bhandari was at other end supporting Bhandari with 26 of 19 balls.
Bhandari came to bat after Malla departed for 10.Nepal at that moment was 7o/3 and needed 71 more at in just 7 overs. PNG were bowling stump to stump and the even a single run was hard to come by.
Bhandari did not score a run in the first four balls, but he hit at least a six in each over after that.
Bhandari then turned the tables on PNG smacking experienced M Dai for six in the 14th over, probably compensating for the first four balls he faced that were dots. Bhandari launched once again hitting youngster Norman Vanua(15th) for a six in the next over. Nepal gathered 19 runs off the two overs but still needed over 10 runs an over to win.
Bhandari smacked two more sixes in the very next over to PNG premier spinner Charles Amini. 16 runs came off that over, 13 off them to Bhandari. off the Chis Amini, brother to Charles and captain of PNG bowled the 17th was next of Bhandari’s victims who went for six off the last ball. That over fetched Nepal 15 runs. Wille Gavera, who had given just 3 runs off his previous 2 overs was taken for 12.
Bhandari ended the game in a manner it deserved smacking Chris Amini for his sixth six, and in doing so he also brought up his 50.
Earlier winning the toss and batting first PNG received contributions from Tonu Ura(22), Geraint Jone (55) and Mahuru Dai(36*). Paras Khadka bowled picked up 3 wickets for Nepal including that of inform Tony Ura to restrict PNG to a chaseable target.
PNG were 118/6 at the end of 18th over, Amrit(8) and Jitendra(14) then went for 22 runs in 18th and 19th over respectively. Amrit Bhattarai picked up 2 wickets for Nepal and gave away just 27 runs. Mukhiya, who took the vital wicket of Jones in the 18th over going for just 3 runs, ended the match with figures of 4-0-30-1.
Nepal’s premiere spinners Shakti Gauchan and Basanta Regmi went wicket-less. Shakti bowled 4 overs for 24 runs while Basanta was tad expensive giving 26 runs in his 3 overs
Chasing 141 Nepali openers Subash Khakurel and Sagar Pun started handsomely with 36 stand for first wicket. Subash Khakurel scored 38 runs off 37 balls. He was unlucky to have missed on his fifty-run out in the 11th over. PNG had pulled things back in the middle over where batsman found scoring runs very hard but it all went in vain.
Match Summary:
PNG 140/6 (Jones 55, Dai 36, Paras 3/23) vs. Nepal 141/3 in 18.4 overs (Bhandari 51, Khakurel 38, CR Amini 1/30)
Result: Nepal won by 7 wickets
Player of the Match: Binod Bhandari(Nepal)
Nepal takes on The Netherlands tomorrow.The ball by ball update of that match will be updated in our website.
