Nepal suffer third straight loss in Top End T20 Series

Nepal faced its third straight defeat in the ongoing Top End T20 Series in Australia’s Northern Territory. On Monday, Melbourne Stars Academy beat Nepal by 31 runs.

Chasing a target of 176 runs, Nepal managed to score only 144 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.

For Nepal, opener Aasif Sheikh hit a half-century but it was not enough for victory. He scored 53 runs off 49 balls with 3 fours and 1 six. Captain Rohit Paudel added 33 runs while Kushal Bhurtel made 25.

Openers Bhurtel and Sheikh gave Nepal a good start with a 30-run stand. Bhurtel played aggressively, scoring 25 runs from 13 balls with 4 fours before being dismissed in the fourth over. Soon after, Bhim Sharki was out for just 1 run, leaving Nepal at 32-2. Sheikh and Paudel then built an 87-run partnership for the third wicket. But once both got out, Nepal’s batting collapsed.

Other batters failed to contribute much as Kushal Malla scored 11 and Dipendra Singh Airee only 1. For Melbourne Stars Academy, Austin Anlezark and Doug Warren took 2 wickets each.

Earlier, after winning the toss and batting first, Melbourne Stars Academy scored 175 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs. Blake MacDonald top-scored with 74 runs while Thomas Rogers made 65. The pair shared a 120-run stand for the second wicket after captain Campbell Kellaway was out for 2 in the first over.

For Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane took 3 wickets while Sompal Kami and Shahab Alam picked 1 each. Two batsmen were run out.

Nepal had already lost its first match to NT Strike and second to Bangladesh A. Next, Nepal will face Hobart Hurricanes, Melbourne Renegades, and Pakistan Shaheens.