Nepal sign off from Top End T20 Series with loss

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 23: Nepal signed off their Top End T20 Series campaign with a nail‑biting one‑run defeat to Pakistan Shaheens in Darwin on Friday.

Chasing 145 for victory, Nepal finished on 143 for seven from their 20 overs. Skipper Rohit Paudel led from the front with a fluent 52, while Dipendra Singh Airee remained unbeaten on 41. 

The pair’s composed batting kept Nepal in the hunt, but Nepal failed to muster only six runs when eight were required from the final over. 

With three needed off the last ball, Airee could manage just a single before being run out, sealing a heart‑breaking loss.

Nepal had earlier recovered from the early loss of opener Kushal Bhurtel (4) as Aasif Sheikh joined Paudel in a 52‑run stand for the second wicket. 

Aasif made 27 from 30 deliveries, while Paudel struck six fours and a six in his 44‑ball half‑century. Airee’s 21‑ball cameo included two boundaries and a maximum, but lacked support from the other end. Only Lokesh Bam (10) reached double figures among the rest.

The win gave the Shaheens their fifth victory of the competition and took them to 10 points, while Nepal ended eighth with two wins and four defeats.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 144 for nine from 20 overs. Nepal’s new‑ball attack made early inroads, with Airee striking twice in the second over — Maaz Sadaqat (1) caught by Paudel, and Mohammad Faiq (2) bowled.

Opener Yasir Khan and Abdul Samad rebuilt with a 40‑run third‑wicket partnership before Yasir (18 off 21) was caught by Sandeep Lamichhane off Bhurtel in the eighth over. Sompal Kami then bowled Ghazi Ghori (4) to leave the Shaheens 49 for four.

Nandan Yadav swung the momentum further Nepal’s way in the 11th over, removing Samad (26) and Mubasir Khan (3) to reduce the total to 60 for six. Sompal struck again to dismiss Mehran Mumtaz (10), caught by Gulshan Jha.

Captain Irfan Khan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 42 off 26 balls, striking three fours and a six to lift the total to a defendable target.

Sompal returned the best figures for Nepal with three wickets, while Nandan Yadav and Airee took two apiece.