Cricket Enthusiasts Witness Nepal’s Valiant Effort against South Africa
In a thrilling T20 World Cup match, Nepal came agonizingly close to causing a major upset against South Africa, falling just two runs short of a historic victory. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Nepal captain Rohit Paudel expressed immense pride in his team’s performance, stating that more exposure against top cricketing nations will eventually lead them to victory.
Chasing a modest target of 116, Nepal were on course to secure their first-ever win against a Full Member side. However, the introduction of Tabraiz Shamsi in the 18th over, who claimed two crucial wickets, set the stage for a tense finale. Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman held their nerve in the final two overs, denying Nepal the chance to force a Super Over.
“I am very proud of the unit, especially the way we bowled and batted,” said Paudel. “We were very close but a little far. In crunch moments we did well, but the way we fought was very good. If we get more exposure regularly then next games we will be on the other side [of the result].”
The foundation for Nepal’s near-upset was laid by their spin bowlers, Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Bhurtel, who claimed seven wickets for just 40 runs in their combined eight overs. Sandeep Lamichhane, playing his first game of the tournament, also bowled a tight spell, conceding only 18 runs in four overs.
“Yeah, when we saw the wicket yesterday, we thought it would be on the slower side. Eventually when we were bowling I thought the wicket was helping the spinners and then we introduced Bhurtel and we carried on with the spinners,” Paudel revealed.
Bhurtel’s impressive performance, which included the dismissals of Aiden Markram, Henrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, and Kagiso Rabada, further highlighted Nepal’s potential against the game’s elite.
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