Despite the fact that Nepal has failed to win a single in the T20 World Cup 2024, their journey has been quite memorable with the kind of cricket they have played. Apart from being at the receiving end of the losses, they have also garnered a lot of respect from fans owing to the flashes of brilliance that bode well for the future.
Nepal started their campaign with a disappointing loss, but they showed a great fight against South Africa and nearly pulled off a win over Bangladesh and it gave a testament to their never-say-die attitude. Their final match against Bangladesh in Kingstown was a rollercoaster, with a dramatic twist at the end.
The minnows decided to field first after winning the toss and managed to take a wicket off the maiden ball of the match. They even managed to dismantle Bangladesh’s top order within the crucial Powerplay phase. However, despite restricting their opponents to a mere 106 runs, Nepal’s young team fell short, losing by 21 runs.
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The match also witnessed a few heated moments. During the chase, Nepal’s skipper Rohit Paudel was seen getting involved in a tense exchange with Bangladeshi pacer Tanzim Hasan Shakib. Thankfully, the environment cooled down eventually as teh umpires inteved in due time.
At one point, Nepal looked like they might pull off the upset. They were at a decent 78 for 5, but then came the collapse. Bangladesh’s experience shone through as they snatched the remaining wickets for a mere 7 runs.
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Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee played a crucial role in Nepal’s fightback as they added 52 runs for the 6th wicket. However, their lack of experience of winning international matches barred them from winning the game. Captain Paudel readily admitted that inexperience played a big role in the loss.
“Our batting, especially the top order, could’ve been much better,” a disappointed Paudel said after the match. “We needed tighter batting, especially after facing good bowling from Bangladesh with the new ball. They put us under pressure with some challenging questions.”
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Paudel highlighted the need for his top order to step up and take more responsibility. “We need to learn how to assess conditions and score runs against quality bowling,” he added.
While Nepal’s journey in T20 World Cup 2024 ended in defeat, the glimpses of talent and fighting spirit offer a promising outlook for the future. With more experience and a stronger top order, they have the skillset to become one of the fighting teams in the upcoming tournaments.
