Nepal Finish T20 World Cup on High with Nerve-Racking Victory Against Scotland
The Cardiac Kids did it again, ending their T20 World Cup campaign with a thrilling 7-wicket win over Scotland in the final over at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. They had also pushed England close a few nights earlier. Sompal Kami played a key role with a brilliant spell in the first innings. Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha and Kushal Bhurtel provided the artillery with the bat to seal a tense but big win in Group C. Nepal will finish the Group stage at the bottom of the table but will take plenty of positives and turn millions of heads towards them as a cricketing nation with the kind of performances they have displayed this year.
Winning the toss, Nepal elected to bowl first. Michael Jones played a thumping innings at the top of the order hitting 8 fours and 3 sixes in his 45-ball 71. Scotland managed to put up a competitive 170/7 at the end of 20 overs, Sompal Kami finishing with 3/25 in his 4 overs. Kushal Bhurtel took the attack to Mark Watt in the 5th over smashing a four and a couple of sixes before Aasif Sheikh hammered a maximum to finish the over claiming 23 runs off it. Nepal moved to 50 in 5.1 overs and had 56/0 on the board at the end of the powerplay.
Nepal sign off with last-over thriller despite group-stage exit
Michael Leask was introduced in the 10th over and struck on the very first ball to remove Bhurtel for 43 in 35 balls. His next couple of overs comprised of wickets as well as he dismissed Aasif next (33 off 27) and skipper Rohit Paudel (16 off 14) to have 3/10 next to his name after 3 overs.
Nepal brought up their 100 in 13.5 overs with 3 quick wickets slowing down the scoring rate. Oliver Davidson (0/31) who bowled a tidy spell conceded a maximum off the final ball of the 15th over and that's where the momentum shifted. Gulshan Jha hammered Davidson for the biggie and then Dipendra Singh Airee smashed consecutive sixes off the first 2 balls from Leask's final over. The crowd found their voice as the batters claimed 20 runs off Leask's final over who was the pick of the bowlers so far.
Brad Currie conceded 11 in the 17th over, Brad Wheal started the 18th over well but was hammered for a maximum by Airee over point with a staggering shot and ended the over with four over fine leg to bring the equation down to 15 off 12. Currie in the penultimate over conceded 10 of those, Wheal allowed Airee to complete another unforgettable half century in 23 balls with Nepal moving to victory in 19.2 overs. Leask finished with 3/30, Davidson with his left arm spin was tidy with 0/31 and Brad Currie bowled 4 wicketless overs conceding 33 runs but brilliance from Airee, Gulshan Jha and Kushel Bhurtel at the top of the order ensured Nepal had the last laugh.
