Karan’s batting exploits lift Nepal

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Dec 06, 2019

Karan KC smashed an unbeaten 40 runs of 16 deliveries to hand Nepal an 84-run victory over Maldives in their Twenty20 International match of the South Asian Games.

The second consecutive victory kept Nepal alive in the race for the final but face a tough tie against title contenders Bangladesh U-23 on Saturday morning. Batting first in the men’s cricket game at the TU ground, Nepal managed to reach 163-7 in 20 overs after Karan smashed 22 runs in the last over.

He struck four sixes and two boundaries. Dipendra Singh Airee also made a 36-ball 39 with two boundaries. Karan then returned to bowl economically conceding 14 runs as Maldives were stopped at 79-6. Nepal had lost their first match against Sri Lanka U-23 by six wickets.

In the first match of the day, Soumya Sarkar scored an unbeaten 50 in Bangladesh’s 10-wicket crushing over Bhutan. With a haul of experience of playing for senior Bangladeshi team, Sarkar struck five boundaries three sixes in his 28-ball 50 as Bangladesh reached 74-0 in just 6.5 overs after restricting Bhutan to 69-7.

In Pokhara, Nepali women lost to Sri Lanka by 41 runs after they were restricted to 77-9 in 20 overs. Skipper Rubina Chhetri top scored for Nepal with 19 runs off 28 deliveries hitting two boundaries. Kabita Kunwar remained unbeaten on a run-a-ball 13. Karuna Bhandari and Apsari Begam chipped in with 12 and 11 runs.

Sri Lanka�s Sachini Nisansala took three wickets in the game. Earlier, Sri Lanka had made 118-7 after electing to bat first. Lihini Apsara scored 37 runs off 27 deliveries which included five boundaries.