KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 19
Nepal defeated Hong Kong by six wickets for their second straight victory in the Dabur Honey Nepal T20I Triangular Series here at the Mulpani Cricket Ground today.
Put into bat first, Hong Kong were bowled out for 94 runs in 19.3 overs before the home side raced to 99-4 with 37 balls to spare. Nepal had defeated the United Arab Emirates by seven wickets in the first match on Wednesday.
Karan KC took four wickets, while Sompal Kami and Abinash Bohara claimed two each as Nepal packed Hong Kong for a below-par total. Only two Hong Kong batters scored in double figures. Yasim Murtaza top scored with run-a-ball 36 with the help of two fours and a six before becoming 50th T20I scalp of Bohara, while wicketkeeper Zeeshan Ali struck two fours in his 20-ball 17.
Hong Kong never looked comfortable after KC bowled skipper Nizakat Khan out in the first ball of the innings and he had Anshy Rath caught behind by wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh in the third over. Kami dismissed Martin Coetzee (two) and KC had Babar Hayat (five) caught by Kushal Bhurtel to reduce Hong Kong to 14-4 inside five overs.
Hong Kong batters failed to build partnerships and they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. Pulsar player-ofthe-match KC returned with 4-15 from four overs and he was ably supported by Kami (2-10) and Bohara (2-17). Bohora reached 50 wickets Kushal Malla and Shyam Dhakal bagged one wicket each.
In reply, Nepal opener Bhurtel (eight) struggled for the second straight match after he was bowled by Ehsan Khan in the fourth over. He scored run-a-ball 14 in the first match of the series against the UAE yesterday.
Kushal Malla (one) and Sundeep Jora (three) also fell cheaply as Nepal were reduced to 47-3 inside eight overs despite chasing a paltry target.
Aasif Sheikh and skipper Rohit Paudel added 30 runs for the fourth wicket before the opener was caught by wicketkeeper Zeeshan Ali off Yasim Murtaza in the 13th over.
Sheikh top scored with 42 off 34 balls with the help of six fours. Skipper Paudel and Gulsan Jha took the team home without further loss. Paudel, who hit the winning six off Nizakat Khan in the fifth ball of the 14th over, remained unbeaten on 25 off 20 balls that included a four and two sixes, while Jha struck two sixes in his five-ball 14 not out.
Ehsan Khan returned with 2-10 from four overs, while Yasim Murtaza grabbed one wicket.
Nepal and Hong Kong will meet again on Saturday. Hong Kong and the UAE will face each other on October 22, while Nepal will take on the UAE the next day.
The match between the UAE and Hong Kong on October 25 will conclude the league round. Top two teams after the double round robin league will advance to the final slated for October 27 at the TU Stadium.
The league round matches will be played at the Mulpani Cricket Ground.
