Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 23:

Sanjam Regmi took three wickets as Malaysia reached 131/6 on the first day of the ICC Inter-Continental Cup three-day cricket tournament here at TU Stadium today.

After the first session of play was suspended due to wet field, Malaysia got a good start with openers Rakesh Madhavan and Rohan M Selvaratnam adding 67 opening stand after their skipper Suresh Navaratnam won the toss and elected to bat.

Nepal got a break through in the 18th over when former Under-17 skipper and U-19 player Parash Khadka removed opener Madhavan for 42 runs. Madhavan struck eight boundaries in his 61-ball innings before handing a catch to Shakti Prasad Gauchan.

The Malaysian downfall continued when leg spinner Sanjam Regmi dismissed No 3 Suria Prakash for just eight runs, while No 4 batsman Sarath Jayawardhan also departed scoring four runs. Jayawardhan, who hit a boundary in his 10-ball innings, was caught by Parash off the bowling of Raj Kumar Pradhan in the 32nd over.

Other opener Rohan M Selvaratnam, who top-scored for the team with 56 off 113 balls including seven hits to the ropes, was run out by Shakti Gauchan, leaving the Malaysians reeling at 11/4 in the 37th over.

After the visiting team added 17 runs on the board, Sanjam dismissed Matthew Williams for 16 off 45 balls, while the leggie completed the rout removing skipper Navaratnam for a duck. Rohan V Suppain and Muniandy Marimuthv will resume on Saturday.

Sanjam conceded 25 runs in taking three wickets off 17 overs, while other wicket-takers Parash Khadka and Raj Kumar Pradhan gave away 19 off six overs and 12 off seven overs respectively.

Earlier, Kishor Bahadur Singh, member secretary of the National Sports Council, inaugurated the event.