Kathmandu- Nepal lost to Hong Kong in a low scoring thriller by 2 wickets in the only T20 international match played between these teams in Colombo, Sir Lanka on Monday, but Sompal Kami created a world record after he scored a fluent 40 runs off 31 balls batting at Number 10.
Sompal came at the crease when his team was struggling at 25/8 in 11.5 overs. Nepal would had put the lowest score score in a T20 international, but Sompal’s innings came at the right time to rescue his team as he put on a 43 runs partnership with Shakti Gauchan for the ninth wicket. Sompal’s innings of 41 runs is the highest run made by a batsman batting at number 10.
Shakti Gauchan who remained not out played a miserable innings scoring just 5 runs out of the 25 balls faced. Nepal eventually made 72 runs losing all wickets in the 20th over. Except Sompal, none other batsman scored in double digits for Nepal. Every single bowler form Hong Kong troubled Nepal as all five bowler shared wickets between them. Tanwiir Afzal, Irfan Ahmed, Nadeem Ahmed and Aziaz Khan picked two wickets each whereas Hasib Amjad also got one.
In reply, Hong Kong had a similar start to that of Nepal as they were reduced to 7/3 in the 3rd over and 12/4 in the 1st ball of 7th over. Both Nepal spinners and Pacers did a get job hitting at the right areas and troubling the batsman. But Aziaz Khan and Anas Khan shared a partnership of 24 runs for the sixthwicket to take their team to 45/6 in the 15th over. When it looked as if Nepal returned to the game with the wicket of Haseeb Amjad, Tanwir Afzal and Anas Khan shared another partnership of 20 runs to take their team home.
Earlier all three matches of the 1st bilateral series between Nepal and Hong Kong was abandoned due to rain.
