ATHMANDU, Feb 2: Nepal’s women's cricket team endured its third consecutive defeat in the ongoing Women’s T20 Tri-Series, falling to the Netherlands by 15 runs at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur today.
With this loss, Nepal remains without a win in the tournament. They had previously lost twice to the Netherlands and once to table-toppers Thailand. Following today’s match, both Thailand and the Netherlands have four points each, but the Thai team holds an advantage, having played one match fewer than the Dutch side. Each team in the round-robin league is scheduled to play three matches, with the highest-ranked team emerging as the tournament winner.
Batting first after losing the toss, the Netherlands posted a competitive total of 140 for 9 in 20 overs. Captain Babette de Leede led the charge with a well-made 41 off 38 balls, hitting four fours and a six. Heather Siegers contributed 26 runs off 23 balls, while Phebe Molkoenboer and Robine Rijke chipped in with 21 runs each.
For Nepal, Sita Rana Magar was the standout performer with the ball, taking five wickets for just 12 runs in three overs. Manisha Upadhyay claimed two wickets, while Kavita Joshi and Indu Verma picked up one each.
In response, Nepal got off to a promising start, with Mamta Chaudhary and Samjhana Khadka putting on 31 runs for the first wicket. However, their momentum faltered as Chaudhary departed after scoring 7 runs, followed soon by Khadka, who made 23 off 25 balls, including four boundaries.
Pooja Mahato (18 off 18 balls) and captain Indu Barma tried to steady the innings, with Kavita Joshi (14 off 15 balls) providing some support. At one stage, Nepal looked in control at 100 for 4, but a middle-order collapse dashed their hopes.
Barma top-scored for Nepal with 30 runs off 32 balls, including a six, but wickets tumbled around her. Rubina Chhetri and Bindu Rawal failed to open their accounts, while Alisha Yadav (5 runs) and Sita Rana Magar (10 runs) could not salvage the chase. Nepal eventually finished at 125 for 8 in 20 overs, falling short by 15 runs.
For the Netherlands, Iris Zwilling, Heather Siegers, and Caroline de Lange took two wickets each, while Eva Lynch and Isabel van der Woning chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Nepal will look to salvage some pride in their final fixture, while Thailand and the Netherlands remain in contention for the title.