KATHMANDU: Nepal has booked their place in the finals of the Tri-nations T20 International Series, currently ongoing in Hong Kong, after defeating Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 85 runs.
In the latest encounter, PNG won the toss and opted to bowl first. Nepal, invited to bat, posted a formidable total of 198 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Nepal’s opening duo, Kushal Bhurtel and Sandeep Zora, showcased their batting prowess, each notching up a half-century.
Bhurtel’s impressive innings of 59 runs off 39 balls included four boundaries and three maximums, while Zora’s quickfire 56 runs off 26 balls featured three fours and four sixes.
Contributions from Binod Bhandari (27 runs off 22 balls) and Lokesh Bam (14 runs off 6 deliveries) bolstered Nepal’s innings.
Bibek Yadav’s explosive cameo yielded 19 runs off four balls, while Gulsan Jha remained unbeaten with a valuable 15 runs off 12 balls.
Despite losing Rohit Poudel and Arif Sheikh early, Nepal posted a challenging total.
In the second innings, Bhurtel showcased his bowling prowess, claiming four wickets, while Pratish GC took two wickets.
Aakash Chand and Gulsan Jha chipped in with one wicket each.
For PNG, Hiri Hiri and Sese Bau made notable contributions with 28 and 21 runs respectively, but the team was bowled out for 113 runs in 17 overs.
With this comprehensive victory, Nepal has advanced to the finals, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.
Comment