Namibia stun Nepal

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Feb 15, 2024

Namibia stunned Nepal by four wickets to start their ICC Men’s CWC League 2 cycle with a win at TU International Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Having asked to bat first, Nepal could only manage to post 132 runs on board, losing all wickets in 41.1 overs. Namibia chased down the minnow target in 33.1 overs with four wickets and 101 balls remaining.

Nepal lost their record winning streak at home in One Day International. They came out victorious in the 15th consecutive match before this and failed three wins short of Asutralia’s 18 wins in a row.

Nepal lost four wickets inside the first power play with only 21 runs on board. Ruben Trumpelmann (2-30) sent back Nepal’s opener, Kushal Bhurtel (duck), on the very first ball of the innings. Ruben victimized Anil Kumar Sah (08) in his next over.

Bhim Sharki and Kushal Malla (15) tried to do the recovery act with a 46-run stand for the fifth wicket but failed to convert the start. Nepal couldn’t stitch any significant partnerships afterward and was stranded in losing total.

Bhim top-scored with 86-ball 44 hitting two fours and a maximum. Gulshan Jha was second on the scorecard with 21 runs to his name.

Gerhard Erasmus dismantled Nepal’s batting line-up with the figures of 5-28 in his 8.1 overs.

Namibia were steadily moving in the chase before Sompal Kami gave some hope to the host with three wickets in a burst. He reduced the opposition to 84-5 from 81-2 before Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and JJ Smit (17 not out) added 42-run for the sixth wicket. Nicol slammed five fours for his 31-ball 30. Jan Frylinck top-scored for the winning side with 34 off 53 balls including four boundaries.

Sompal concluded with the figures of 3-32 in his 7 overs. Lalit Rajbanshi returned the economical figures of 2-20 in his 7 overs while Rohit Kumar Paudel picked a wicket.