Padam Bahadur Badela made an unbeaten century as Nepal signed off from the Blind Cricket World Cup with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Australia at the MCC Cricket Ground in Ajman, United Arab Emirates on Monday.

Electing to bat first, Australia made 296 all out in 36.2 overs in the 40-over tournament. Nepal reached the target with 22 balls to spare after man-of-the-match Badela shared an unbroken 137-run partnership for the third wicket with Badri Chaulagain doing the bulk of scoring. Badela was also instrumental in Nepal’s historic victory over New Zealand in the Twenty20 World Cup for Blind in February last year in India slamming the only double century of the tournament. It was Nepal’s third victory over a blind cricket team of a Test-nation having also beaten South Africa in the same tournament last year.

On Monday, the B3 (partially sighted) category player Badela struck 125 runs from 76 balls hitting 14 boundaries. Chaulagain was unbeaten on 35. Opener Ramesh Baniya was the second best scorer for Nepal making 47 runs, while No 3 batsman Naresh Tharu was retired hurt for 36. Another opener Khimananda Gaire chipped in 17 runs.

Earlier, Australia had raced to 92 without loss in 10 overs before Nepal fought back hard in the game. They affected five run outs, while Durga Dutta Paudel picked up three wickets. Bikram Bahadur Rana and Bharat Thapa also took a wicket each for them. Stephan Nero top scored for Australia with 63 runs and Matt Cameroon (62) was their next best scorer. Daniel Pritchard (40) and Lindsay Heaven (38) were other notable contributors.

Already out of semi-final contention, Nepal had lost their first five matches in a row going down to Bangladesh (by four wickets), Pakistan (by nine wickets), Sri Lanka (by 340 runs) and India (by eight wickets).

Duwal, Rana hang gloves

KATHMANDU: The Nepali blind cricket team skipper Kirtan Shrestha Duwal and his deputy Bikram Bahadur Rana have announced retirement from cricket. The duo called it quits after Nepal defeated Australia in their final league match of the Blind Cricket World Cup in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.

The two players have been an integral part of Nepali blind cricket ever since the country began playing the game 11 years ago. Duwal and Rana said they wanted to make way for young cricketers and will now get involved in production of new generation. Rana has also played two Twenty20 World Cups for Blind and Duwal has one. The ongoing 40-over World Cup is Nepal’s first in blind cricket history. Cricket Association of Blind, Nepal President Pawan Ghimire said the exit of two crucial players will be felt. (PR)