Batting failure lead Nepal to 55 runs defeat in their first ever ODI against Netherlands. Nepal lost 8 wickets for their last 49 runs. Netherlands leads two matches series by 1-0.
Nepal started it well with the bat as openers, Malla and Sah, shared maximum 58 runs. Sah was first one to return back with 21 runs in his debut innings, pushing a ball towards the fence for four times. Malla stayed there and became first Nepalese player to score half-century in ODI. He slammed 51 runs off 61 balls. His responsible innings is flavoured with 8 fours. Skipper Khadka, who showed magic with ball earlier in the day, went back with 12 runs in his bank. Right then, quick wickets of Aarif Sheikh (00) and Sompal Kami (00) from Netherlands bowlers pushed Nepal on back foot. Airre stayed there for while with 33 runs off 48 balls but Klaassen victimised him and make a way easy for Dutch. Karan KC (00) and Lamichhane (01) couldn’t put ice on cake as they too returned back cheaply. Injured Vesawkar also failed to show any magic as Nepal lost all of their 10 wickets inside 42 overs, adding 134 runs. Klaassen, Rippon and Seelaar delivered a gem spell for host with 3 wickets each. Rippon was named as player of the match for his half century and 3 wickets.
Earlier, Nepal’s first ever ODI captain, Paras Khadka called the coin’s side wrong and was asked to field first by Netherlands. Sompal Kami picked up very first wicket for Nepal as he become the first Nepal’s bowler to take wicket in ODI. He dismissed Braak (01) in third ball of his second over. He uprooted Braak’s stump. Then Copper and Myburgh shared vital 45 runs for second wicket before Khadka trapped Copper (20) in front of wicket. Myburgh was batting well but not well enough to handle beautiful ball from Lamichhane which went through him and struck to the stump. He made 29 runs off 32 balls with 4 fours and a six. Khadka didn’t stop there on, he stayed with his good line and length as his in swinger resulted Barresi’s (12) outside edge through to Sheikh’s safe pair of hand, who was there in first slip. Then Leede and Rippon shared match defining 68 runs, taking 128 balls. Sompal Kami broke the vital partnership as Leede was dismissed on his personal score 30 runs off 60 balls with a four and six respectively. Then, Regmi and Khadka hunted in pair to restrict Netherlands on the score of 189 runs, taking all 10 wickets in 47.4 overs. Skipper Khadka was pick up the bowler with 4 wickets in his fruitful spell of 10 overs, expensing just 26 runs. Sompal Kami and Basant Regmi also picked up 3 and 1 wickets respectively. Lamichhane also delivered healthy spell of 10 overs, expensed 42 runs with a wicket in his tally. Veteran Shakti Gauchan, whose career is in deciding phase couldn’t produce any wickets in his bowling spell of 4 overs but took a catch in his name to dismiss Netherlands skipper Seelaar off his spinnig pair Regmi. Rippon was leading run scorer on the day for Dutch with 51 runs off 76 balls. He slammed just 2 fours in his steady innings.
