Cricnepal/Kathmandu: Nepal’s winning run came into an end following today’s defeat against the good looking Scot side by eight wickets.
Calum MacLeod played a fantastic innings remaining not out at 82 runs as Scotland chased the target of 138 in 19.2 overs losing only two of their wickets; Richie Berrington(5) and Matt Machan(28). Berrington was stumped by Subash Khakurel off Basanta Regmi in the third ball of fourth over while Paras Khadka gave the second breakthrough as Machan was caught and bowled.
Despite having a good start, conceding only two runs off first over, Nepal kept on giving runs afterwards. Jitendra Mukhiya’s first over went for 9 runs while the team’s 8th and 9th over went costly as Nepal conceded 15 and 14 runs respectively. Having taken two wickets, Nepal desperately needed the wicket of MacLeod but unfortunately, couldn’t trap this guy as he crossed his 50 runs mark in 42 balls with a SIX to deep midwicket and a quick single in 15th over.
With the end of 15 overs, and 36 required of 30 balls, Scotland had nothing to fear for. They played with ease and kept the game in control. Paras gave 9 runs in 16th over, Amrit conceded 11 off 17th over. 18th over was an economic with Jitnedra bowling only 3 runs.
Amrit bowled the penultimate over and was hit for 11 runs that included a SIX and two TWOs and a single. Scotland achieved the feat in 2nd ball of the last over bowled by Basant.
MacLeod had a winning partnership of 73 runs with Kyle Coetzer(20*). MacLeod had 5 fours and three sixes in his 64 balls innings and was later adjudged the man of the match.
Earlier, Nepal felt unlucky to have lost the toss and then bat first. They scored a below par score of 137 runs losing seven wickets in full 20 overs.
Nepal had a decent start with Subash Khakurel and Sagar Pun opening innings for Nepal with 8 runs off the first over out of which SIX came off a free hit in the very third ball. However, the second over was costlier for Nepal as Khakurel was caught for 6 runs while only two runs came off board.
Sagar and Gyanendra Malla then holded innings for Nepal with couple of FOURs and a brilliant SIX from Sagar in 3rd over. Sagar who was brought at top order after Airee was dropped for the match, finally was caught in the sixth over for 11 runs. Gyanendra(11) then immediately joined after being stumped in a wide delivery off the same over.
Binod Bhandari and skipper Paras Khadka then had a wonderful innings for Nepal sharing 47 runs between them. Binod hit two SIXES over wide long-off in 12th over but ended with the score of 28 runs trying the same sort of shot in 13th over. Binod hit two fours and equal sixes in 25 balls play.
Nepal then lacked a consistent performance from their players with Paras being dismissed after some big hits. Paras’s 27 runs included two boundaries and a SIX. Anil Mandal(8), Sharad Vesawkar(16) were the next to fall. Basant Regmi however, displayed a classical shot in the first ball of the last over hitting a full toss ball for maximum. Basant remained unbeaten at 13 runs.
Nepal will face Papua New Guinea on Tuesday who now stand in the first position of the points table after the completion of three matches. Nepal stays at second with same result to PNG; two wins and a loss; PNG ahead with a better net run rate.
Match Summary
Nepal 137-7, 20 overs (Binod Bhandari 28, Paras Khadka 27; Safyaan Sharif 3-19, Gordon Goudie 3-29)
Scotland 138-2, 19.2 overs (Calum MacLeod 82 not out, Matt Machan 28, Kyle Coetzer 20 not out)
Result: Scotland won by eight wickets
Player of the Match: Calum MacLeod (Scotland)
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