Nepal fails to defend big score after poor bowling and fielding
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Nepal has suffered a four-wicket defeat to the United States in the World Cup League-2 cricket tournament after poor bowling and fielding. The United States defeated Nepal by setting a target of 273 runs at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Saturday.
Nepal, who were invited to bat after losing the toss, were all out for 271 in 49.5 overs. After veteran players like Dipendra Singh Airi and Gulshan Jha dropped catches, the US achieved the target with 6 balls to spare.
This is Nepal's third consecutive defeat in Dubai. It has also put Nepal's campaign to save its ODI status in jeopardy. Nepal is in seventh place in the 8-nation League-2 with just 12 points from 19 matches. After the victory over Nepal, the US has further strengthened its top position.
The US is 4 points ahead of second-placed Scotland with 34 points from 23 matches. The top four teams in League-2 will qualify directly for the ODI World Cup qualifiers.
The US needed 12 runs in the last two overs to win. But after Harmeet Singh hit two sixes in the fourth and sixth balls of the 49th over bowled by Nandan Yadav, the US had scored 273 runs with 6 balls to spare. Harmit scored 13 off 5 balls and Sanjay Krishnamurthy hit 1 six off 13 balls to remain unbeaten on 15 runs.
Milind Kumar once again became the hero in the US win. He scored 70 runs off 66 balls. This is his third consecutive half-century in this series being held in the UAE. In the previous match against Nepal, he had scored 70 runs off 55 balls. Player of the Match Milind hit 7 fours and 1 six.
Saiteja Mukamalla also scored 75 runs. He hit 2 fours and 1 six off 101 balls. Smit Patel scored 16, Sayan Jahangir scored 36 off 42 balls with 5 fours and 1 six and captain Monank Patel scored 21 runs off 28 balls with 2 fours
In the middle order, Subham Ranjane scored 19 runs off 12 balls with 1 four and 1 six. For Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane took 3 wickets for 55 runs in 10 overs, while Nandan, Karan KC and Gulshan took 1 wicket each.
Earlier, Nepal had given a big target to America with Dipendra's half-century and Karan's aggressive batting. Dipendra scored 75 runs in 67 balls, including 2 fours and 3 sixes. Karan, who came to bat in the 41st over, scored 49 runs in 31 balls, including 2 fours and 3 sixes, as Nepal posted a strong score.
Nepal did not start well. Asif Sheikh scored only 2 runs and was bowled in the second ball he faced. Opener Kushal Bhurtel shared an 86-run partnership for the second wicket with Bhim Sarki. Bhim scored 43 runs in 58 balls, including 4 fours.
Kushal scored 47 runs in 65 balls, including 2 fours and a six. After Arif Sheikh was also dismissed for 2 runs, captain Rohit Poudel and Dipendra shared an 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Rohit, who had scored a century earlier, scored 36 runs off 46 balls, including 2 fours.
Gulshan Jha was dismissed for 5 and Nandan Yadav and Lalit Rajbanshi were dismissed for 1 run each. Sandeep Lamichhane remained unbeaten on 4 runs. America's Harmit took 3 wickets. Left-arm spinner Harmit gave away 33 runs in 10 overs. He had taken 6 wickets in the previous match against Nepal. Saurabh Netrabhalkar and Jasdeep Singh took 2-2 and Subham Ranjan took 1 wicket.
