Nepal concedes 103-run defeat against Canada in WCL2

KATHMANDU: Nepal conceded a 103-run defeat against Canada in its first match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series at King City, Canada, on Monday, as its top order failed miserably.

Invited to bat first after losing the toss, Canada scored 253 runs, helped by Nicholas Kirton’s 44-ball 73, with the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Nepal was bundled out for 150 runs in the 41st over. Nepal’s death bowling was exposed yet again as Canada looted 104 runs in the last 10 overs of the match.

This is Canada’s first-ever victory over Nepal in the ODI. Canada had lost all three matches against Nepal at the latter’s home ground in Kathmandu in February. This is Canada’s first victory in the WCL2 after losing all four matches of the tri-series with the US and the Netherlands. Canada sits second on the WCL2 table with 10 points from nine matches.

Nepal has two points after five matches.

Nepal’s death bowling was exposed yet again as Canada looted 104 runs in the last 10 overs of the match.

Although Canada made a slow start with the bat as it had scored just 109 runs losing three wickets in 32 overs, it upped the run rate after Nicholas Kirton came to the crease. Kirton scored an unbeaten 73 which included three fours and six towering sixes. Opener Navneet Dhaliwal missed out on a half-century as he was caught by Kushal Bhurtel off Gulshan Jha at 48 runs off 90 balls. Dillon Heyliger and Harsh Thaker scored 30 and 27 runs for Canada, while Pargat Singh and Saad Bin Zafar scored 17 each.

Sompal Kami and Lalit Rajbanshi took two wickets each for Nepal, while Sandeep Lamichhane, Gulshan Jha, and Rohit Paudel each had a wicket to their names.

Nepal made a poor start in the chase, losing opener Kushal Bhurtel for just one run in the fourth over. Although Aasif Sheikh and Bhim Sharki tried to build Nepal’s innings by adding 21 runs off 24 balls for the second wicket, Nepal started losing wickets at regular intervals after Aasif fell in the eighth over for 20 runs off 30 balls. No. 10 batter Karan KC top-scored for Nepal with 27 runs off 24 balls while Sandeep Lamichhane contributed 22 off 16 balls. Bhim Sharki, Gulshan Jha, and Kushal Malla scored 20, 18, and 12 runs, respectively.

Dillon Heyliger took five Nepali wickets, giving 43 runs in his 10-over spell, while Akhil Kumar and Ansh Patel took two wickets each. Saad Bin Zafar claimed one wicket.

Nepal will play its second match of the tri-series against Oman on Wednesday.