KATHMANDU, Dec 17: Nepal lifted the title of the first International Wheelchair Cricket Championship with a 54-run win over Bangladesh on Saturday. At the final match at TU Cricket Ground, Nepal was invited for batting after losing the toss and made a total of 161 runs losing three wickets in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, Bangladesh was bowled out for 106 in 18.2 overs.
Nepal made a solid start to the innings with Digam Chemjong Limbu and Nabin Rai smashing 79 and 59 runs respectively. Third numbered batsman Dan Bahadur Thing was out for a duck, while Jung Bahadur Thapa and Bipin Paudyal made four runs and one run respectively.
Ripon Uddin claimed two wickets for Bangladeshi side and Morshed Alam added another.
Meanwhile, Alam was the highest scorer for Bangladesh as he made 20 runs off 28 balls that included three boundaries, while Uzzal Bairagi scored 17 runs off 26 balls including three boundaries. Earlier, opening duo Ripon Uddin and Mohammad Methu contributed 13 and six runs respectively.
Bipin Paudyal was pick of the Nepali bowlers as he claimed 3-13. Likewise, Bishnu Adhikari, Ram Bahadur Tamang, and Himal Aryal added one wicket each.
Nepali players dominated the individual awards as Nepal’s Nabin Rai was declared as the best batsman, while Bipin Paudyal was adjudged as the best bowler award. Likewise, Raju Gurung and Digam Chemjong Limbu were declared as the best wicket-keeper and the man-of-the-series respectively.