Nepal make winning start at Asia Zone Qualifier

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 31: Nepal started the ICC T20 World Cup Asia Zone Qualifier with an eight-wicket victory over Singapore on Monday. Opener Kushal Bhurtel led Nepal's charge with a quick-fire fifty, as they chased down Singapore's total of 145/9 with ease, losing just two wickets in 16.3 overs.

Bhurtel scored 74 runs off just 48 balls, including eight boundaries and two sixes, to complete his seventh T20 fifty in just 26 balls. He was caught by Thilip Thilappan in the 16.2nd over with five runs required for victory, but Kushal Malla finished the match off in the next ball. Bhurtel's 84-run partnership with Aasif Sheikh for the first wicket set the stage for Nepal's comfortable chase. Sheikh added 27 runs before being dismissed by Akshay Puri in the 9.1st over. Captain Rohit Poudel remained unbeaten on 35 off 24 balls and shared a 57-run stand with Bhurtel for the second wicket.

Bhurtel, after delivering a match-winning performance, stated that every game would be approached as if it were a final. He expressed his happiness in proving his coach Monty Desai's unwavering confidence in him and praised the entire team's performance in the first game.

Earlier, Singapore had a poor start, losing their captain Aritra Dutta for a duck in the second ball. However, opening batsman Rohan Rangarajan scored 46 runs off 30 balls with nine fours and a six to steady Singapore's innings. He put on a 52-run partnership with Surendran Chandramohan (6) for the second wicket. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane broke the partnership by bowling Chandramohan out with his googly in the 6.5th over. All-rounder Gulsan Jha then made Rangarajan caught by Sundeep Jora in the 7.1st over and caught and bowled Amartya Kaul (0) as Singapore struggled at 54/4 in 7.5 overs. 

But Aryaveer Chaudhary, playing his first T20 International, smashed 37 runs off 26 balls to help Singapore reach a competitive total. He hit five fours in his innings. Chaudhary's resistance was ended by Abhinash Bohara who made him caught by Karan KC in the 19.3rd over. Akshay Puri remained not out with 13 runs off eight balls. Bohara finished with figures of 3-43, while Jha, Lamichhane, and KC claimed two wickets each.

Nepal suffered a major blow by losing all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee to injury. He is likely to miss all the matches of the qualifiers. Airee sustained an ankle sprain while fielding during practice on Monday morning. Airee was in the playing 11 and has been replaced by Bibek Yadav. Airee returned to watch Nepal play at TU Cricket Ground on crutches.

In Group A, Oman beat Malaysia by 32 runs, while the UAE made a winning start by beating Bahrain by five wickets in the first Group B match at Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground. In another Group B match, Hong Kong registered a 16-run victory over Kuwait in their opener of the qualifier.