Nepal openers continued from where they left off against Netherlands in the opening match in the Bajaj Pulsar Tri-Nations T20I Series in Kathmandu, as they brushed aside the Malaysian challenge by ease in the third game of the tournament on 19th April 2021.
Having bowled out Malaysia within 17 overs for a below-par total of 109, Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh combined for their second consecutive century opening stand to take their team to victory in the 13th over, and won the game by 9 wickets, in a similar result they had against Netherlands in the opening game.
The bowlers set up the match perfectly for the team, as Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane topped the wicket-taking charts, while the other bowlers also chipped in with a wicket to their names.
In the second game of the tournament, Virandeep Singh’s valiant effort while registering his highest individual T20I score was not enough to prevent the Netherlands from winning by 15 runs at the Bajaj Pulsar Tri-Nations T20I Series being played at Tribhuvan University ground in Kirtipur, Nepal on 18th April 2021.
Maxwell O’Dowd carried his bat to become the first Dutch player to score a T20I century as the Netherlands posted 191 for the loss of two wickets at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground before Malaysia reached 176 for eight in reply.
O’Dowd reached his fifty off 37 balls, and took just 22 balls more to reach his century with a four off Syed Aziz, who was then hit for three consecutive fours as O’Dowd remained unbeaten on 133, that included six sixes and 15 fours.
BRIEF SCORES
Match#2: Netherlands 190/2 in 20 overs (Maxwell O’Dowd 133 n.o, Scott Edwards 31, Ben Cooper 20 n.o, Pavandeep Singh 1/22, Anwar Rahman 1/25) beat Malaysia 176/8 in 20 overs (Virandeep Singh 87, Muniandy Sharvin 28, Aminuddin Ramly 26, Aryan Dutt 2/14, Bas de Leede 2/15, Sebastien Braat 2/50) by 15 runs
Match#3: Malaysia 109 all out in 16.5 overs (Syed Aziz Syed Mubarak 27, Muniandy Sharvin 20, Karan KC 3/17, Sandeep Lamichhane 2/25, Sompal Kami 1/13, Kushal Malla 1/15) lost to Nepal 113/1 in 12.1 overs (Kushal Bhurtel 61 n.o, Aasif Sheikh 42, Virandeep Singh 1/7) by 9 wickets
