Opener Gyanendra Malla struck a century in Nepal’s second comprehensive victory of their India tour as the visitors defeated Mylapore Recreation Club in Chennai by 52 runs on Thursday. 

Electing to bat first, Malla scored 100 off 123 balls before retiring out as Nepal, preparing for the ICC World Cricket League Championship away matches against Hong Kong on October 13 and 15, scored 251-7 in 50 overs. A collective bowling effort then saw the local side restricted to 199-8 in 50 overs. 

Malla’s century was a toast of the day as he opened the Nepali innings with a 67-run first wicket stand with Sagar Pun, who made 25 off 54 balls. The best partnership of the day came for the second wicket as Malla and Sharad Vesawkar forged a match-winning 100-run partnership. 

Malla retired out after hitting 13 boundaries and a six before skipper Paras Khadka joined Vesawkar in the middle. Khadka tried to up the ante hitting three sixes in his 10-ball 22 before losing his wicket. Vesawkar was next to go for 48. He struck three fours  in his 73-ball innings. 

Nepal soon lost Dipendra Singh Airee (three) and Binod Bhandari (duck) before Karan KC and Sompal Kami took the Nepali team across 250-run mark. KC hit two sixes and a four in his 10-ball 20 and Kami remained unbeaten on nine-ball 16 with a six. M Ganesh Morthi, AVR Rathnam and N Harish took two wickets each for the local team. 

Mylapore made a strong start with openers Sudhan Sanjeev and R Vivek adding 74 runs for the first wicket in 16 overs. Vivek scored 38 off 46 balls with two sixes and as many boundaries and his dismissal off Sushan Bhari applied brakes to the Mylapore innings. Sanjeev scored 37 from 79 balls with four boundaries and a six. 

Bhari also picked up the wicket of No 3 batsman Mohammad Asif who made 33 from 54 with four boundaries and a six. Nepal tightened the screws in Mylapore middle order on the back of impressive bowling display from Bhari, Sandeep Lamichhane, Pun and Airee. 

Rathnam was stranded on 35 runs off 56 balls with two fours when Mylapore innings came to close. Apart from Bhari, Pun and Airee also picked up two wickets each for Nepal.