Kathmandu – Nepal has won the Tri-Nation T20 cricket series title after defeating the Netherlands by 142 runs in the final played at the Tribhuvan Cricket Ground in Kirtipur today.
Nepal also registered its first series win after 11 years on home soil.
After losing the toss, Nepal scored 238 runs for the loss of three wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. Chasing a victory target of 239 runs, the Netherlands lost all their wickets in 17.2 overs and scored only 96 runs.
Nepal had given a record target to the opposition team in T20 cricket today. Nepal’s previous highest T20I score came against Bhutan in South Asian Games in December 2019. They made 236 runs for the loss of three wickets and restricted Bhutan for 95/6, registering a 141 run victory.
Kushal Bhurtel hit a half-century in the final, adding his fourth half-century in the series. He became the first player to score his fourth fifties in the same series. Bhurtel scored 77 runs. He hit three sixes and eight fours in 53 balls.
Similarly, Ashif Sheikh contributed 16 runs and captain Gyanendra Malla contributed 33 runs. Kushal Malla struck his maiden half-century. He scored an unbeaten 50 off 24 balls. Malla hit five sixes and two fours.
Meanwhile, vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee scored an unbeaten 48 runs. He hit three sixes and five fours off 18 balls. For the Netherlands, Philippe Voisevin took two wickets and Sebastian Brat took one.
The Netherlands lost wickets from the start as they chased down the victory target. The Netherlands lost the first wicket in the second over. The visitor lost six wickets in eight overs and scored 43 runs. Max O’Dowd scored 20 runs for the Netherlands. Similarly, captain Pitts Shelar scored 13 runs. Until the last minute, Sebastian Brat supported his team. He contributed an unbeaten 26 runs. Other players could not score. Two players from the Netherlands were run out.
Karan KC, Kamal Singh Airee, and Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets each while Avinash Bohara took one wicket. Lamichhane bowled brilliantly even today. He took two wickets for 26 runs in four overs.
Lamichhane has become the highest wicket-taker in the series. He took 13 wickets in five games.
