Airee, Malla bat Nepal to win over Scotland

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 18: Nepal kept its winning momentum intact in the Tri-series under ICC World Cricket League-2 at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur after stunning champions Scotland by three-wickets on Tuesday. 

The half-ton knocks from Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Malla helped Nepal earn its 10th win of the League-2. Nepal achieved the victory losing seven wickets in 47 overs. 

The second win over the League-2 champions earned Nepal 22 points from 26 matches. Chasing the 275-run-victory target, Nepal tottered to 77/5 in 10.5 overs. The 100-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Airee and Malla rescued Nepal from defeat. 

This is the second biggest successful chase of Nepal after defeating Namibia by two wickets on February 14. Nepal successfully chased the 286-run victory target posted by Namibia.  

‘Continute to give best’

Player of the match Airee remained unbeaten with 85 runs. He smashed eight fences and one six off 116 deliveries for his second career-best innings in the ODI. He had smashed 105 runs against PNG on March 2022. 

For his match-winning feat, Airee said he was happy to contribute as a finisher for Nepal. “I just played my role given to me by the coach. I just played the role of perfect partner with Malla as the team needed a good partnership,” All-rounder Airee said.

“I will continue to give my best as all remaining ten matches are like final for us.” 

Left-hander Malla clubbed nine boundaries and four sixes in his 67-ball 81 contributions. After surviving a dropped catch when he was in six runs, Malla went on to achieve his second ODI fifty off 42 balls. The score also became his career-best in the national colour.  

After Malla fell victim off left-arm spinner Mark Watt in 27.1 over, Airee joined with Gulsan Jha (28-ball 17) to add 43 runs for the seventh wicket. 

Send in to bat from the lower middle order, Airee then put up a 50-run stand with Sompal Kami for the eighth wicket to see Nepal home. Kami smacked four boundaries in his 32-ball 24 unbeaten knocks. 

The right arm medium pacer Chris Sole picked three wickets to damage Nepal’s top order. He dismissed Kushel Bhurtel (8-ball 16), Aasif Sheikh (14-ball 9) and Gyanendra Malla (3-ball 4). Spinner Watt also finished with a figure of 3-43. 

After registering the back-to-back victory, Coach Monty Desai said that the result is evidence of the strong mentality 

of the players.

First ton for Leask

“Airee and Malla played perfect roles and they communicated very well. Airee was more responsible to handle the situation and he completed his role perfectly against the strongest Scotland. I am confident players will improve their performance day-by-day,” Coach Desai added.

After being put on to bat first, All Rounder Michael Leask’s maiden ODI century led Scotland to post a challenging 274 runs losing nine wickets in 50 overs. 

Leask hammered his career’s first hundred to lead the fight back after Scotland reeled to 111-6 in the 25th over. 

The 32-year-old right-hander smacked nine maximums and three fours in his 107 runs’ unbeaten innings. He hit Sompal Kami for six and one in the 48th over’s last two balls to complete his 

hundred-run milestone. 

Leask put up an 81-run partnership with Jack Jarvis for the seventh wicket. He also completed his 1000 runs after 

adding 65 runs. 

After Spinner Dipendra Singh Airee bowled out Jarvis (38-ball 26) in 39.3 overs, Leask continued to collect the runs thick and fast teaming up with Mark Watt (31-ball 20) for the 76-run stand.

Spinner Kushal Malla gave Nepal the first breakthrough after making Captain Richie Berrington (25-ball 19) caught and bowled in 7.4 overs. Berrington scored 25-ball 19. 

Malla then holed Opener Christopher McBride (29-22) out by wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh in 11.1 over. Malla conceded 49 runs off his nine-over spell. 

The top order collapsed after Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane picked the other two wickets. 

Lamichhane trapped Matthew Cross (13-ball 2) in 14.5 overs and Tomas Mackintosh (28-ball 19) in 16.1 over the leg before wicket.

He picked his third by dismissing Brandon McMullen in 24.2 overs as the sixth wicket of Scotland. Lamichhane gave away 27 runs from his 10-over spell. McMullen chipped in with a 26-ball 22. Chris Greaves also collected 16 runs off 16 balls. McMullen and Greaves put up 46 runs for the fifth wicket partnership.

Sompal Kami, Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee also bagged one wicket apiece. Karan KC was the most expensive bowler for Nepal after conceding 68 runs from his spell of nine overs.