KATHMANDU, Nov 17: Nepal pace bowlers Karan KC and Avinash Bohora, on his List-A debut, shared three wickets each to help Nepal win the match by 40 runs against Hong Kong during the Asian Sports Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Cup held at the Krira Prothistan Cricket Ground in Savar, Bangladesh on Saturday.
Defending a paltry total of 217 runs, KC and Bohora helped Nepal reduce Hong Kong to 47 runs for the loss of five wickets at one stage. Hong Kong recovered but eventually fell to 40 runs loss as left-arm spinner Susan Bhari picked up two wickets and two of the Hong Kong batsmen were caught short of the crease.
Binod Bhandari entered history books scalping six catches in the match which is the most by a Nepali wicket-keeper. He helped Bohora with three catches, KC with two and Bhari with one of his wickets.
Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient, will shine again
Hong Kong’s Kinchit Shah and Ehsan Khan scored 53 and unbeaten 44 runs respectively to help minimize the margin of defeat. Shah faced 80 deliveries which included three boundaries and a six. Likewise, Khan stayed not out during his 53-ball stay which included two fours and three sixes. Haroon Arshad chipped in with 26 runs off 51 deliveries which included a solitary four.
Aarif Sheikh, Pawan Sarraf, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi and Dipendra Singh Airee were wicket-less in their respective two, four, 8.5 and five overs respectively.
Earlier, Hong Kong won the toss and elected to field. Nepal rested Sompal Kami who is suffering from back-spasms. Avinash Bohora was provided with the opportunity to play his first ever 50-over match for Nepal.
Nepal captain GyanendraMalla’s poor form continued with a 2-ball duck, the same score which he registered against India U-23. Nepal also lost Kushal Bhurtel, for a run, who made his List-A debut in the last match.
However, player-of-the-match Sharad Vesawkar notched up a patient 89 runs off 139 deliveries which included nine boundaries. He shared a partnership of 83 runs with vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee and 74 runs with Aarif Sheikh. Airee scored 37 off 67 deliveries which included three boundaries whereas Sheikh enjoyed a free-flowing innings of 42 runs off 48 deliveries which included three fours and sixes each to help Nepal reach 217 runs before getting all out in 50 overs.
Wicket-keeper Bhandari’s 15 runs off 13 deliveries which included a boundary was the only other double-digit score of the Nepali innings. Hong Kong captain Aizaz Khan was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets conceding 42 runs off nine overs. Similarly, Nasrulla Rana and Ehsan Khan shared two wickets each whereas Aftab Hussain and Raunaq Kapur scalped a wicket each.
