KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 8

Skipper Rohit Paudel's remarkable bowling performance of four for 22 propelled Nepal to a seven-run victory over Canada at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Thursday.

With this triumph, Nepal has seized a 1-0 lead in the three-match bilateral series against Canada.

After winning the toss, the hosts elected to bat first but were dismissed for a moderate total of 224 runs in their allotted 50 overs.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel led the scoring for Nepal with 62 runs off 58 balls, including nine fours and a maximum. Kushal Malla contributed 20 runs, while Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami added 38 and 27 runs respectively.

Canada's bowlers, Uday Bhagwan, scalped three Nepali wickets, while Saad Bin Zafar and Ishwarjot Sohi claimed two wickets each, limiting Nepal to a moderate score.

In pursuit of 225 for victory, the visitors were bowled out for 217, falling seven runs short of triumph over the Himalayan nation. Nicholas Kirton was the top scorer for Canada with 68 runs off 99 balls, featuring seven fours.

Pargat Singh and Nicholas Kirton shared a crucial 79-run partnership for the third wicket before Singh was dismissed for 50 runs. At that juncture, Canada was comfortably positioned at 114/3 with seven wickets in hand.

Kushal Malla dismissed Harsh Thaker for 32, providing some relief for Nepal, and the dismissal of Nicholas Kirton instilled a sense of victory over the North American nation.

Skipper Rohit Paudel and leg-spinner Lalit Rajbhansai secured the seven-run victory from the jaws of defeat.

Subsequently, skipper Paudel was named the man of the match for his match-winning performance with the ball, finishing as the standout bowler with figures of 8.5-2-22-4.

The second match between Nepal and Canada is scheduled for Saturday, February 10, at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.