- Nepal defeated the USA by 122 runs in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2, concluding the home tri-series with a dominant win.
- Ishan Pandey’s 84 runs and Dipendra Singh Airee’s explosive 59 powered Nepal to a formidable total of 317/8 at the TU Cricket Ground.
- Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets as Nepal's disciplined bowling attack dismissed the USA for 195 runs in 41.2 overs.
- This clinical performance boosts Nepal's standings and net run rate, ending their home series on a high note.
Kathmandu, Nepal :The Nepal national cricket team signed off from their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 home tri-series on a high note, registering a comprehensive 122-run victory over the United States of America (USA). Showcasing clinical execution across both departments, the hosts dominated the visitors in a high-stakes encounter to boost their standings and net run rate.
Chasing a mammoth target of 318 runs at the Tribhuvan University (TU) International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, the USA batting lineup collapsed under scoreboard pressure, getting bundled out for a mere 195 runs in 41.2 overs.
Lamichhane's Lethal Spell Dismantles USA Run-Chase
Chasing a demanding required run rate of 6.36 per over, the American top-order failed to negotiate the conditions and fell prey to a disciplined Nepali bowling attack. Although middle-order batsman Sanjay Krishnamurthi fought back with a resilient half-century (56 runs), he found little support from the other end. Shayan Jahangir (27) and Shehan Jayasuriya (26) got starts but failed to convert them into match-winning partnerships.
Nepal's premier leg-spinner, Sandeep Lamichhane, was the pick of the bowlers. He spun a web around the visitors, registering crucial breakthroughs to finish with figures of 3 wickets. The seam-and-spin variations from the other end kept the economy rate in check, as Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Gulshan Jha chipped in with 2 wickets apiece, while opening bowler Sompal Kami claimed 1 wicket.
Ishan Anchors, Dipendra Explodes in the Death Overs to Power Nepal to 317
Earlier, after being put in to bat first on what looked like a flat batting surface, Nepal capitalization on the conditions to post a formidable total of 317/8 in their designated 50 overs.
Young top-order batsman Ishan Pandey anchor-rolled the innings with a brilliant, mature knock of 84 runs off 83 balls, laced with 8 boundaries and a maximum. Registering his second consecutive ODI half-century, Ishan stitched a vital 110-run partnership for the third wicket with skipper Rohit Paudel (46 off 59) to construct a solid platform after the powerplay.
This came after openers Aasif Sheikh (43) and Kushal Bhurtel (29) provided a solid foundation, putting on a 69-run opening stand.
The real impetus, however, came in the death overs. Vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee went on a rampage, clearing the ropes at will to send the capacity crowd into a frenzy. He blasted a lightning-fast half-century, scoring 59 off just 36 deliveries at a strike rate of 163.88, hammering 4 fours and 4 towering sixes. Aarif Sheikh (17*) and Gulshan Jha (15) provided late cameos to take the game well beyond the USA's reach.
For the USA, Shubham Ranjane was the most successful bowler with 2 scalps, while Milind Kumar and Rushil Ugarkar picked up a wicket each but proved expensive against Nepal's late onslaught.
Match Analysis: With this emphatic victory on home soil, Nepal successfully concluded the League-2 tri-series on a high. The tactical balance between the steady top-order accumulation and explosive death-overs hitting, complemented by a multi-dimensional bowling attack, bodes exceptionally well for Nepal's upcoming international assignments.
