Scotland down Nepal by 34 runs to win tri-nation T20I series

By ESPNcricinfo staff, June 21: A partnership of exactly 100 between opener George Munsey and No. 3 Brandon McMullen set the base for Scotland's comfortable win against Nepal in the tri-nation series, and it was rounded off by a collective bowling performance.

Scotland's 34-run win brought the curtain down on a series that also featured the Netherlands, with all three teams ending on two wins from four. Scotland, however, topped the table on superior net run-rate. Nepal finished second.

Scotland 193 for 5 (Munsey 78, McMullen 42, Bhurtel 2-20) beat Nepal 159 (Rupesh 43*, Airee 34, Greaves 3-27, Sharif 2-7) by 34 runs

Munsey, whose highest score in the series had been 30, started aggressively and dominated a 34-run opening stand with Mark Watt. Watt was bowled by Rupesh Singh for 9 in the fourth over but Munsey and McMullen then added 100 in 9.2 overs for the second wicket, hitting nine fours and seven sixes between them.

The stand ensured Scotland were going at more than ten runs per over.

But then came a stutter. Munsey fell for a 39-ball 78 in the 13th over to Kushal Bhurtel, and three balls later, Sandeep Lamichhane bowled McMullen for 42. Finlay McCreath and captain Richie Berrington fell cheaply in the next two overs, too, and Nepal seemed to be clawing back. Michael Leask (26*) and Matthew Cross (17*), however, combined to take 35 off the final three overs to lift Scotland to 193 for 5.

Nepal's reply faltered early, losing four wickets in 5.1 overs. Bhurtel fell to McMullen in the first over, Bhim Sharki and Aarif Sheikh were removed by Safyaan Sharif (2 for 7), and Aasif Sheikh was run out. Dipendra Singh Airee, who became Nepal's most-capped T20I player on the day, resisted with 34 from No. 6, but struggled with only one four and one six in his 33-ball stay.

Airee fell in the 16th over with the asking rate climbing, bowled by legspinner Chris Greaves (3 for 27), who went on to also dismiss Lamichhane for a duck and Rijan Dhakal for 5. Rupesh struck an enterprising 22-ball 43 from No. 8, but ran out of partners. No. 11 Lalit Rajbanshi was run out in the 19th over to end the innings. (Espncricinfo)