Kathmandu, March 13

National cricket team skipper Paras Khadka said watching the match from sidelines was more difficult than playing in the field.

Khadka opted out of ICC World Cricket League Championship’s fifth-round matches against Kenya because of health issues. However, Khadka said the happiness of the team’s win was not less. “Whether I am in the field or not, the level of happiness in team’s victory is the same,” said Khadka, who underwent Acute Appendicitis surgery three weeks ago. “I am not used to in watching the matches from sidelines but I had a faith in team’s talent.”

The victory over Kenya in the second match was Nepal’s first without Khadka and this is the third time the regular skipper missed the national team match since taking over the captaincy in 2009. “I tried my best to get fully fit for the matches as I wanted to play.

I had an option to play with a risk but we reached to a decision that playing against Kenya putting future in doubt was not good,” he added. “I had informed about my situation to the management and they asked me to be in the dressing room to boost the morale of the team.”

Khadka said he was recovering and hoped to be fully fit in one month. “There are improvements and I am under rehabilitation process at the moment. I am hopeful of returning to the field in one month,” he said. In between Nepal are scheduled to take part in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh and Khadka will not be a part of the team.

“I have already notified the management regarding my unavailability for the tournament,” he added. National teams of Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Afghanistan and the U-23 teams from four Test-playing nations of the region — India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh — will take part in the event slated for March 25 to April 3 in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Khadka lauded team’s performance against Kenya. “We played a perfect game today. I have been telling every time that the team has got enough talent to sustain and the boys proved it.

The bowlers set the match from the beginning with Mahaboob Alam and Somapl Kami putting early pressure and then spinners did the rest with Sharad coming in and bowling very well,” he said. “In batting, Gyanendra and Dipendra were wonderful. We have found a very good middle order batsman in Dipendra,” he added.

Stand-in skipper Malla, who opened the innings with Sunil Dhamala, remained unbeaten on 64, while Airee scored 62. Vesawkar took 4-28 and returned to score 11-ball 24.

Malla credited the team work for the victory. “All the members of the team put in their best efforts and the result is the outcome of the brilliant team work,” he said. “We could stop them to 150 because of the good efforts from the bowlers and we were able to chase with ease as Airee played exceptionally well,” he said.

Regarding his own innings, Malla said he was happy to be able to break the jinx of 30-40 runs. “I was thinking of finishing the game today and I could do that for the team,” he added.

Coach Jagat Tamatta termed as one of the best matches and the team played a superb cricket. “Overall, all the members of the team performed as expected.

We were thinking of stopping them inside 170 but the bowlers and fielders did extremely well to restrict Kenya to 150-plus score and Gyanendra Malla led from the front to see the team home along with Dipendra Singh Airee.”

Highlights

•    Mahaboob Alam takes two wickets in fourth over, concedes just two runs in first six overs

•    Kenya face four consecutive maiden overs after the double-wicket maiden

•    Gyanendra Malla introduces part-time bowler Sharad Vesawkar in the 27th over and he breaks 79-run third        wicket partnership to turn the match

•    Vesawkar takes two wickets in as many balls in the 45th over

•    Vesawkar becomes the most successful Nepali bowler in WCL, taking 2-28 from 7.1 overs

•    Malla reaches 50 off 78 balls hitting four boundaries

•    Dipendra Singh Airee completes half century off 56 balls with the help of six fours and a six

•    Malla, Airee share 111-run partnership for third wicket

•    The 111-run stand is fourth highest for Nepal in WCL

•    Skipper Paras Khadka misses national team’s match for the third time since 2009

•    Nepal national team wins first match without Khadka

•    Nepal register first victory over Kenya

•    Kenya batting collapse as the visitors lose last six wickets for 30 runs