KATHAMNDU, April 18: A record partnership between skipper Paras Khadka and Sharad Vesawkar guided Nepal to a crucial three-wicket win over Namibia on Monday with a ball to spare as the home team wrapped up the third round matches of the ICC World Cricket League Championship with second win at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
Paras smashed 103 runs off 94 balls and shared a 167-run partnership with Sharad, the highest partnership and individual score by Nepali players in list A match, for the third wicket as Nepal achieved 240-run target with a ball to spare in the 50-over match. Nepal also chased its highest ever run in the list A match after achieving the target set by Namibia.
Sharad, who also played a crucial role scoring 50 runs in Nepal's five-wicket win over the same opponent on Saturday, cracked unbeaten 74 runs off 107 balls, including the winning run during the dramatic finish of the match witnessed by roaring home audience in the jam-packed stadium.
The successive wins over Namibia in the championship lifted Nepal to sixth place in the points table and kept alive its dream of reaching the qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup. Nepal has four points after playing six matches as it moved to the sixth position from the rock bottom. Namibia is on seventh with two points. Top four teams of the championship will make it to the World Cup Qualifiers.
“Four points and two wins out of two is good. We should make it a base and keep moving forward. We should be among the top four at the end and all teams of the championship are equally strong,” said Paras who reached his second international century and also became the second player to score a century for Nepal in list A match after Anil Mandal. Earlier Paras had a scored century against Kuwait in the UAE during the 2012 ACC Trophy Elite. Anil had scored 100 runs a couple of months earlier against Scotland too.
“It feels good to score century but it is important that the team wins,” said Paras, adding, “I had a good partnership with Sharad. He played the winning knocks in both the matches. Hats off to Sharad. I hope he continues doing it.”
Nepal's coach Jagat Tamata, who was looking after the national team for the first time, said, “I want to congratulate Nepali supporters for the victory. Overall, the boys came up with good performance. Sharad and Paras fulfilled their responsibilities.”
“However, we have many areas for improvement and being the coach of the national team is a big opportunity for myself and I am happy for what we have achieved.”
Chasing the target set by Namibia, Nepal got an early jolt as opener Naresh Budayair (6 runs off 19 balls) was dismissed with 24 runs on board in the 7.4 over. Another opener Gyanendra Malla (22 off 46) was caught by Namibia skipper Stephan Bard in the 13.1 over with 37 runs on board after playing 13-run partnership with Sharad.
Sharad and Paras, who came at number four, anchored the Nepali innings with their record partnership. Paras who came at 13.2 over was dismissed in 41.2 overs. He reached 100 runs facing 89 deliveries. He smashed seven sixes and five fours in his knock before he was trapped leg before by Zhivago Groenwald as Nepal raced to 204/3.
The departure of Paras was followed by a dramatic collapse of the Nepali innings. Rajesh Pulami (1) was caught by Kotze after facing seven balls. Nepal needed 31 runs from 40 balls at a point but the margin was narrow to a-ball-a-run in the last over. Binod Bhandari, who came at number six, contributed 12 runs off 13 balls giving some respite to the Nepali innings. He hit two fours. He played a 25-run partnership with Sharad for the fifth wicket before he was bowled by Sarel Burger. Sompal (1 off 4) was sent to the pavilion cheaply. Basant Regmi remained unbeaten on one run.
Sharad hit three runs in the second ball of the last over and pocketed one in the second last ball of the innings to guide Nepal home after Basant Regmi had contributed one runs in the same over.
Sarel Burger was the pick of Namibia bowlers claiming three wickets in his 10-over bowling conceding 38 runs. Groenewald pocketed two wickets followed by one wicket each from JJ Smith and Gerrie Snyman.
Earlier, put to bat first after losing the toss, Namibia made a flying start. Opener and skipper Stephan Baard (51 off 60) and Zane Green (47 off 87) shared a 95-run partnership for the first wicket. Sandip Lamichhane, who marked his debut for the national team on Saturday, gave a much needed breakthrough to Nepal after Baard was caught by Binod Bhandari in the slip.
Namibia collapse followed after the departure of Baard as it was lost five wickets for 19 runs and was 114/5 in 28.6 over from 1/95 at 20.4 over. Green was trapped leg before by Basant.
Number seven batsman Sarel Burger (unbeaten 43 off 90) brought the visitors back on track playing 20-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Lohan Louwrens (10) , 33-run with Nicolass Scholtz (22) for the seventh wicket and 39 for the eighth wicket with Kotze (32).
Shakti Gauchan, Basant Regmi and Sandeep Lamichhance shared two wickets each.
Nepal will visit the Netherlands to play the next two matches of the championship on August 13 and 15.
Namibia captain Baard said that he was disappointed to lose both the matches. “We would have been the winning side today if we had added 20 or 30 runs more. We lost batting momentum at a point,” he said.
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