KIRTIPUR, Jan 30: Nepal lost to the Netherlands by 20 runs in the opening match of the women's international T20 series held at the TU cricket ground, Kirtipur, on Thursday. With the win, the Netherlands have added two points to the points table.
Chasing the victory target of 158 runs, Nepal could only score 137/ 7 in the allotted 20 overs. Besides lackluster batting, poor fielding and weak death over bowling let the host team down.
For the visitors, Robine Rijke was the top scorer with 59 runs off 48 balls. She was well supported by Iris Zwilling who made a quickfire 31 off just 31 balls to help her side post 157/4. The total is a record at the Kirtipur ground. Both of them capitalized on Nepal’s poor death-bowling.
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For Nepal, opener Sita Rana Magar made the highest 28 runs off 45 balls, hitting three fours. Similarly, Kabita Joshi scored 27 runs in 17 balls with one four and two sixes. Nepal U-19 captain Pooja Mahato contributed 24 runs off 14 balls with two fours and a six. Other players could not add runs to double figures, which led to the downfall of the hosts in the opening match of the tri-series.
For the Dutch team, Caroline de Lange and Eva Lynch took two wickets each. Similarly, Iris Zwilling and Frédérique Overdijk took one wicket each.
For the Netherlands, Rijke scored an unbeaten 59 off 48 balls with eight fours. Similarly, middle-order batter Iris Zwilling scored an unbeaten 31 off 13 balls with five fours, while opener Sterre Kalis contributed 29 off 35 balls with four fours. Similarly, Heather Siegers scored 23 off 19 balls with one four and a six, but the other two players failed to reach double figures.
For Nepal, Kabita Kunwar, Pooja Mahato, Ishwari Bista and Sita Ranamagar took one wicket each.
Nepal and the Netherlands, as well as Thailand, are participating in the series. Nepal hold the 20th, Thailand 13th and the Netherlands 16th position in the women's T20I rankings.
The participating teams in the series will play each other 3 times. The team at the top of the points table will be declared the winner.
