Netherlands escape Dipendra heroics to edge Nepal in a two-run thriller

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Feb 28, 2024

Nepal’s bowlers restricted the Netherlands to a chaseable total and Dipendra Singh Airee fired with the bat but the team failed to chase 15 in the final over losing to the Dutch by two runs in their second match of the Twenty20 International Tri-Series on Wednesday.

The Netherlands posted 184-4 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Dipendra and Rohit Kumar Paudel scored half-centuries but Nepal were restricted to 182-8.

Despite losing the opener, Kushal Bhurtel once again for a duck, Nepal were marching swiftly towards the target till the halfway stage (12th over) at 97-2 before Kushal Malla (11) departed. They lost the next four wickets for only 29 runs as the Dutch began their stranglehold in the game.

Dipendra tried to rescue his team with his fighting 63 off 34 balls hitting six fours and three sixes. Nepal were 59 runs away in 27 balls when Karan KC (11 off 7 balls) stepped in to the crease. Dipendra and Karan added 55 off 24 balls before the latter was run out while stealing a double.

Roelof van der Merwe bowled Dipendra in the fourth ball of the last over after conceding 11 runs in the first three to provide his team a slim win.

Rohit scored 36-ball 50 including six fours and three sixes. He stitched 65 runs for the second wicket with Aasif Sheikh, who scored 34 off 23 balls involving four boundaries and a six.

Earlier, Michael Levitt top-scored for the winning side with 55 off 36 balls including five fours and three hits over the rope. Sybrand Engelbrecht carried his bat for 49 off 38 balls laced with four boundaries and a six.

Despite having seven wickets in hand, the Netherlands only scored 61 in the last seven overs. Dipendra had bowled two overs during that phase, conceding only 10 runs with a wicket. He returned overall figures of 1-20 in four overs. Karan was the other wicket-taker with the figures of 1-29 in his three overs.