Host Zimbabwe beat Nepal by 116 runs on their respective tournament opener.
Winning the toss, host challenge Nepal’s bowler to bowl first in Queen Sports Club flat track. As per the ICC’s commentators, pitch was completely flat where Zimbabwean batsmen were making the ball to hit suit spot of their bat. Zimbabwe’s opener, Zhuwao (41) and Mire (52) took over Nepal’s bowler right from ball no.3 of Sompal’s first over, before Sandeep Lamichhane (64-1) sent back Zhuwao. They shared 77 runs stand in 43 balls. Zimbabwe lost couple of wickets in their innings before Taylor (100) and Ervine (34) shared 87 runs partnership for fourth wicket, which set the tone for Zimbabwe’s massive total. But in the end 173 runs stand between Taylor and Raza (123) for fifth wicket batted out Nepal out of context. Zimbabwe posted the mammoth total of 380 runs for the lost of six wickets in stipulated 50 overs. Sompal Kami (82-2) and Basant Regmi (2-69) topped Nepal’s bowling chart, however they expensed lot of runs.
For Zimbabwe, it was player of the match, Sikandar Raza (48-3), who shone again with the bowl. He claimed Nepal’s most expensive wicket of Paras Khadka, Sharad Vesawkar and Dipendra Airee. Vitori (46-2) put himself in second position in Zimbabwe’s bowling scorecard.
Zimbabwe will face Afghanistan on March 06 where Nepal will lock horn against Scotland on March 08.
