KATHMANDU: The Netherlands have clinched the title of the Nepal Tri-nation T20I series, defeating the hosts by four wickets at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal scored 184 runs for the loss of eight wickets. In reply, the Netherlands scored 189 runs, losing six wickets with three balls to spare.
Nepal made a good start with the bat despite losing opener Kushal Bhurtel for 20 runs. The second-wicket pair of Aasif Sheikh and Rohit Poudel scored freely to take Nepal to 82 in 9.1 overs. Sheikh scored 47 from 37 balls while Poudel contributed 25 off 19. Gulshan Jha added 34 runs from 25 balls, and Kushal Malla scored a quick 26 off just 11 balls. However, Nepal could manage only 26 runs in the last three overs despite having five wickets in hand.
Fred Klaassen, Timm van der Gugten, Michael Levitt, and Sybrand Engelbrecht each took two wickets for the Netherlands.
Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd provided the Netherlands with a blistering start, putting on 83 runs for the first wicket in just 8 overs. Levitt scored 54 off 29 deliveries, while O’Dowd contributed 22 runs from 23 balls. Vikramjit Singh and Sybrand Engelbrecht scored 29 and 48 runs respectively. Pratish GC and Airee bowled tidy overs to put pressure on the Netherlands batters in the second half of the chase. However, Engelbrecht stole 21 runs off Abhinash Bohara in the 18th over, swinging the game in favor of the Dutch. Although the visitors lost two wickets in the 19th over bowled by Kushal Malla, they still managed to score 12. Gugten struck a four and a six off the second and third deliveries of the final over bowled by Karan KC to steer the Netherlands to victory with three balls to spare.
Kushal Malla took four wickets while Abinash Bohora and Dipendra Singh Airee each had a wicket to their names.
Levitt was named Player for the Series for his all-round performance of 54 runs and two wickets.
Himal Press
05 Mar 2024
