KATHMANDU, JULY 16
Nepal's batting fragility exposed again as the national cricket team faced a 63-run defeat against Namibia in the ODI Tri-series match under ICC Cricket World Cup League-II at the Cambusdoon New Ground in Ayr, Scotland today.
Electing to bat first, Namibia were bowled out for 199 runs in 49.2 overs before Nepal were packed for a paltry 136 runs in 37.5 overs. This is Nepal's second straight loss against Namibia in the series after their 40- run defeat in the previous encounter on June 10.
Chasing an easy target of 200 runs, Nepali batters were never in contention, losing wickets at regular interval. Opener Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for a four-ball duck in the first over, while Dev Khanal (one) also fell cheaply. Nepal were reduced to 46-3 when another opener Aasif Sheikh fell for 32-ball 34 that included six boundaries.
Vice-captain Rohit Paudel (17) and Aarif Sheikh (four) also failed to steady the innings and it became 82-5 in 23 overs.
Dipendra Singh Airee top scored with 55-ball 38 hitting three boundaries, while Mohammad Aadil Alam contributed 20 and Pawan Sarraf scored 10. Nepal lost the last five wickets for just 18 runs.
Bernard Scholtz was the pick of the Namibia bowlers taking 5-22 from 9.5 overs and he also earned the man-of-the-match award for his five-wicket haul.
Jan Frylinck grabbed 3-26 and skipper Gerhard Erasmus took one wicket.
Earlier, Namibia posted 199 riding on 43-run partnership for the eighth wicket between David Wiese and Ruben Trumpelmann.
Nepal had reduced Namibia to 36-3 in nine overs before skipper Gerhard Erasmus and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton added 69 runs for the fourth wicket to revive the innings. Erasmus played the captain's knock scoring 53 off 70 balls.
Wiese scored 50-ball 34, while opener Divan la Cock struck five fours in his 30-ball 27. JJ SMit scored 27 off 34 balls, while Loftie-Eaton and Trumpelmann contributed 19 runs each.
Nepal skipper Sandeep Lamichhane took 4-29 from 10 overs, while Sompal Kami (2-33) and Dipendra Singh Airee (2-9) shared four wickets between them. Basir Ahamad also grabbed a wicket. Nepal will play against home team Scotland in the last match of the Tri-series on Sunday.
With the win, Namibia moved up to fifth place ahead of Nepal. Namibia accumulated 18 points, while Nepal have 17. Oman are at the top of the seven-team table with 44 points, while Scotland are second on 32. The UAE are third with 26, three more than fourth-placed United States of America. Papua New Guinea are at the bottom with two points. After the League-II cycle, top three teams will earn berths in the World Cup Qualifiers, while other three sides will go into playoffs.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 17, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
