Sports
Nepal comeback stuns the Dutch
Nepal made a comeback in their fourth round matches of the ICC World Cricket League Championship (WCLC) defeating the Netherlands by 19 runs at the VRA Grounds in Amstelveen on Monday.Binod Pandey
Nepal made a comeback in their fourth round matches of the ICC World Cricket League Championship (WCLC) defeating the Netherlands by 19 runs at the VRA Grounds in Amstelveen on Monday.
Nepal had lost the first match on Saturday by seven wickets after the team was folded for a paltry 94 but the victory on Monday kept them alive in the race to qualify for the 2018 ICC World Cup Qualifiers. The top four teams in the eight-nation tournament will earn a direct qualification to the Qualifiers to be held in Bangladesh.
Nepal are unmoved at the sixth spot on net run rate after they were tied with Kenya, who are yet to play their fourth round games, on six points. Netherlands lead the table with 12 points and they were inflicted their first defeat of the tournament.
Nepal rode on a half century from skipper Paras Khadka to make a respectable 217-9 in 50 overs. Khadka then returned to pick up two wickets along with Sompal Kami and Basanta Regmi as the Dutch team was 198 all out in 48.3 overs.
Former South African all rounder Roelof van der Merwe top scored with 56 runs for Netherlands with a 61-ball 56 hitting four boundaries and a six.
Earlier, Nepal lost Anil Mandal (four) and Sharad Vesawkar (six) at 41-2. Gyanendra Malla scored from the top order with a 52-ball 39 but Nepal were left reeling at 65-3 in 19.2 overs.
Khadka then resurrected Nepali innings with a 118-run stand for the fourth wicket with Sagar Pun. Just as it seemed, Khadka would reach his second List 'A' century, the Nepali captain fell to Ahsan Malik for a 94-ball 84.
Khadka's innings included seven boundaries and a six. Pun was next to go for a 78-ball 45 that included two hits to the fence. Michael Rippon was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers taking 4-35 from six overs. Ahsan Malik also had two scalps.
Paras, Sagar guide Nepal to 217-9 in second match against Dutch
Skipper Paras Khadka slammed an enterprising half century as Nepal set the Netherlands a 218-run target in their second fourth round match of the ICC World Cricket League Championship at the VRA Grounds, Amstelveen on Monday.
Nepal were bundled out for just 94 in their first match on Saturday but restored pride finishing with 217-9 in 50 overs after Netherlands put them to bat first.
Nepal didn't have the best of the start as they lost Anil Mandal (four) and Sharad Vesawkar (six) at 41-2. Opener Gyanendra Malla was making most of the runs but he lost his wicket to Paul van Meekeren for 39 after hitting a six and a four in a 52-ball innings.
Khadka then resurrected Nepali innings with a 118-run stand for the fourth wicket with Sagar Pun. Just as it seemed, Khadka would reach his second List 'A' century, the Nepali captain fell to Ahsan Malik for a 94-ball 84.
Khadka's innings included seven boundaries and a six. Pun was next to go for a 78-ball 45 that included two hits to the fence. Nepal couldn't capitalise on the stand as Binod Bhandari was the only one showing aggression with an 14-ball 17 that included two sixes, both coming off Michael Rippon.
Rippon was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers taking 4-35 from six overs. Ahsan Malik also had two scalps.