Nepal beat PNG by two wickets

KATHMANDU: With brilliant batting by Rohit Paudel, Nepal registered a two-wicket victory against Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the first of the two-match One-Day International (ODI) series on Tuesday.

Choosing to bat first after winning the toss in the match held at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, PNG scored 134 runs loosing all the wickets.

Nepal met a target of 135 runs in 39.3 overs at a loss of eight wickets.

Rohit Paudel scored an unbeaten 41 runs off 65 balls hitting two fours.

Though Nepal made mediocre start as openers Kushal Bhurtel and Asif Sheikh returned to pavillion scoring 44 runs, the partnership of Rohit Paudel and Sompal Kami led Nepal to win the match.

Aasif Sheikh scored 30 runs off 46 balls hitting four fours and Sompal Kami contributed 22 runs off 32 balls.

Similarly, Kushal Bhurtel scored 15 runs off 28 balls hitting two fours while others failed to make any double-digit runs.

Debutant Bikram Sob made a good start for Nepal by taking two wickets. Nepal’s leg-spin sensation Sandeep Lamichhane took four wickets while Sompal Kami and Kushal Malla took one wicket each.

The second match of the bilateral series will be played on Friday.

Both Nepal and PNG are playing in the bilateral ODI series as part of their preparations for the Tri-Series of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.

Nepal will play the Tri-Series of the League 2 with Oman and the USA from September 13 to 20.

Nepali team had left for Oman on August 26 to prepare for the ODI series.

Gyanendra Malla (Captain), Sharad Bheswakar, Kushal Bhurtel, Asif Sheikh, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami, Bikram Sob, Rohi Paudel, Kushal Malla, Pawan Sarraf and Aarif Sheikh were in the Nepali team.

Vice-Captain Dipendra Singh Aire has not been able to play the match due to injury.

Asif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel and Bikram Sob had made their debut from the Nepali team.