Dipendra Airee’s unbeaten 47 and excellent effort from the bowlers in the first innings helped Nepal level the series 1-1 by beating the United Arab Emirates in the second T20 International match played at the ICC Academy.
UAE were bowled out for 107 runs in 19.2 overs, thanks to Avinash Bohara for outstanding bowling of 3-20 in his four-over. Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, they all cheaped-in with two-wickets apiece. Medium pacer, Abinash Bohara, playing his second T20I match dismissed the opener Chundangapoyil Rizwan, the top scorer for UAE. He made 44 from 43 balls with 4 fours and one six. Amir Hayat (3) and Captain Mohammad Naveed (7) were the other two victims.
Interestingly, Skipper Paras Khadka didn’t bowl a single over today but he got dismissed in very first over of the chase. Khadka’s promoting himself as the opener has now got 25 runs in two games. The other opener Pradeep Airee was caught at point for 8 runs, leaving Nepal tottering at 9/2. Airee’s come back to the National side in this series hasn’t worked well so far.
Karan KC was promoted up the order for the counter-attack and it paid off today. His blistering innings of 20 from 23 balls produced two boundaries and a six. Sandeep Jora, the hero of the first match didn’t have luck going today, he was caught at long-off boundary and Nepal were five down 46 runs in 10.1 overs.
Late down the order, Pawan Sarraf (18 off 25 balls) and Dipendra Singh Airee steadied the ship and played a match-winning partnership of 55 runs for the sixth wicket. Airee played a cool and calm matured under the pressure until he hit a four and a six to help Nepal complete the chase in 19.3 overs. His brilliant innings of 47 runs from 41 balls with 4 fours and a six earned him Player of the match.
Nepal has now leveled the three-match series 1-1. The final match will be played on Sunday, February 3 at ICC Academy ground in Dubai.
