KATHMANDU, JANUARY 30
Nepal suffered a 20-run defeat against the Netherlands in the opening match of the Tri-Nation T20I Series.
In the match held today at Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, Nepal fell short while chasing a target of 158 runs set by the Netherlands, managing only 137/7 in the allotted 20 overs.
Sita Rana Magar top-scored for Nepal with 28 runs, while Kabita Joshi contributed 27 off 17 balls, and Pooja Mahato added a quickfire 24 off 14 balls.
On the bowling front, Eva Lynch and Caroline de Lange claimed two wickets each for the Netherlands, while Iris Willing and Frederik Overdijk picked up one apiece.
Earlier, after losing the toss and being put in to bat, the Netherlands posted a competitive total of 157/4 in 20 overs.
Robine Rijke led the charge with a well-compiled 59, while Iris Willing (31), Sterre Kalis (29), and Heather Siegers (23) made valuable contributions.
For Nepal, Kabita Kunwar, Pooja Mahato, Sita Rana Magar, and Ishwari Bista took one wicket each.
Later, Dutch player Robine Rijke was named the Man of the Match for her match-winning knock of 59 runs off 48 balls, which included eight boundaries.
During the post-match press conference, Nepal's skipper Indu Verma expressed disappointment, stating, "In previous matches, our batting performance let us down, but unfortunately, today, it was our bowling and fielding that faltered. While we are certainly disappointed and would have liked to start the series with a win, the opposition outplayed us in every department. We hope to deliver a better performance against Thailand on Saturday," she shared.
When asked about the appointment of a foreign coach, Verma added, "We have been advocating for this for some time now, and we hope to see our wish fulfilled in the near future."
Meanwhile, Robine Rijke expressed her joy at playing in front of the Nepali crowd. "We never underestimate any opposition. We approach every game with high expectations and aim to win. Playing against Nepal in their home country is always a challenge, especially with different conditions, but I'm happy to start with a victory."
The Dutch team will face Thailand tomorrow at the same venue.
Similarly, Nepal will now face Thailand at the same venue on Saturday.