Nepal created history at Sharjah by defeating the west indies by 19 runs in the opening T20I of the three match series. That will be remembered for years to come, Nepal successfully defended a modest total 148, restricting West Indies 129 in 20 overs. The victory marked one of Nepal biggest triumphs on the international stage.
Batting first after losing the toss , Nepal batting effort was built on collective contributions, captain Rohit Paudel leading from the front , after early setbacks, opener kushal Bhurtel fell on 6 off 11 balls , Wicketkeeper Aasif sheikh managed only 3 off 4 .
Paudel anchoring the innings with composed 38 off 35 balls, including 3 boundaries and one six. He rotated the strike smartly and absorbed the pressure ensuring Nepal had a platform to build on. Support came from kushal Malla, who scored 30 off 21 balls.
The middle order chipped in with valuable runs. Gulsan Jha added quick 22 off 16 deliveries, hitting 2 sixes, while Dipendra Singh Airee contributed 17 off 19 balls keeping scoreboard moving. In Lower order sudeep 9 off 6 and Nandan yadav 7 off 2 added valuable runs , at the end of the innings Nepal post 148/8 in 20 overs .
In bowling Jason Holder pick of the bowlers for West Indies 4/20 in 4 overs, while Navin Bidaisee 3/29 in 4 overs and captain Akeal Hosein gets one wicket .
West Indies Chasing 149 , Nepal struck early blows with Kyle Myers run out , managed 5 off 8 balls, while Amir jangoo tried to steady the innings with 19 run knock off 22 balls but his dismissal to Sundeep Jora off Rajbanshi halted the momentum. At the other hand young Ackeem Auguste showed promise with a quickfire 15 off 7 balls. The west indies innings lost further steam when jewel Andrew was dismissed on 5 runs by Rohit Paudel. The skipper showed excellent control using his variations to keep the pressure on. Keacy carty attempted to rebuild with 16 from 15 deliveries but was run out in another sharp piece of fielding. while Navin Bidaisee try to get quick runs but unfortunately hit wickets on kushal Bhurtel bowling 22 off 25 balls At the lower order Jason Holder chipped 5 off 7 , while Fabian Allen 19 off 14 and Akeal Hosein with quick fire 18 off 9 balls . At the end 129/9 in 20 overs, falling short by 19 runs.
Nepal’s bowling attack was outstanding in defending the total. Every bowler stuck to their plan, using variations in pace and exploiting the conditions at Sharjah. Kushal Bhurtel 2/17 in four overs, while Rajbanshi, Nandan Yadav, and Rohit Paudel , karan kc and dipendra Singh Airee gets one 2/17 in four overs, wicket each .
The fielding unit deserves equal credit. Nepal executed two brilliant run-outs, including the dismissals of Mayers and Carty, while catches were held cleanly under pressure. Their energy on the field reflected a side hungry for a famous victory.