Nepal Falls Short in Tri-Nation T20 Opener Against Namibia

In the inaugural match of the Tri-nation international Twenty20 series, Nepal faced a setback as they were defeated by Namibia by 20 runs today.

Chasing a formidable target of 207 runs set by Namibia, Nepal’s innings concluded at 186 runs in 18.5 overs with all wickets down. Despite valiant efforts from the Nepalese batsmen, they fell short of the target.

Dipendra Singh Airee emerged as the top scorer for Nepal, contributing 48 runs off 32 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes. Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel showcased a commendable performance, adding 42 runs to the scoreboard with three boundaries and three sixes.

Of notable significance was the partnership between Captain Paudel and Kushal Malla, amassing 57 runs in just 28 balls, with Malla contributing 32 runs to the total. Additionally, Gulshan Jha, Asif Sheikh, and Vivek Yadav chipped in with six runs each, while Sundeep Jora scored five.

Namibia’s Ruben Trumpelmann proved to be a formidable force, claiming four wickets, while Bernard Scholtz, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, and Jan Frylinck secured two wickets each.

In the preceding innings, Namibia, having won the toss, elected to bat first at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. They posted a formidable total of 206 runs in their allotted 20 overs, losing four wickets in the process.

A standout performance came from Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who delivered an exceptional century, scoring 111 runs off just 33 balls, which included 11 fours and eight sixes. Loftie-Eaton’s remarkable feat also shattered the previous record held by Nepal’s Kushal Malla for the fastest century in T20 internationals.

Malan Kruger also made a significant contribution, remaining unbeaten with 59 runs off 48 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes. Meanwhile, Michael van Lingen and JP Kotze added 20 and 11 runs, respectively, to the total, with Captain JJ Smit contributing one run.

In the bowling department, Nepal’s captain Paudel managed to secure two wickets, while Karan KC and Abinash Bohora claimed one wicket each.

Nepal is scheduled to face the Netherlands in their next encounter tomorrow at 11:30 am.