The Nepali women’s cricket team lost to Namibia by six wickets in the Women’s Day T20 International Series in Uganda, marking a disappointing start. After batting first and scoring only 92 runs, Namibia successfully chased a revised target of 71 runs due to rain disruptions. Key players from both teams contributed, with Nepal scheduled to face Uganda next.
The Nepalese women’s cricket team commenced their campaign in the Women’s Day Twenty20 International Series on a disappointing note, encountering a six-wicket defeat to Namibia under the Duckworth-Lewis method in Entebbe, Uganda. After winning the toss, Nepal opted to bat first but could only muster 92 runs across 20 overs. Given rain interruptions, Namibia was set a revised target of 71 runs in 15 overs and managed to achieve this with a successful chase, losing four wickets in the process.
Mekelaye Mwatile emerged as Namibia’s leading scorer, accumulating 26 runs that included three boundaries, while Arrasta Diergaardt contributed an unblemished 13 runs off seven balls. In Nepal’s bowling efforts, Puja Mahato, Kabita Joshi, Indu Barma, and Ishwori Bist each took one wicket. On the batting front, opener Samjhana Khadka was the standout performer for Nepal with 18 runs off 11 balls, bolstered by four boundaries. Kabita Joshi scored 16 runs from 31 balls, and Puja Mahato also contributed 13 runs from 20 balls; Ishwori Bist remained not out with 17 runs off 14 deliveries.
Namibia’s Wilk Mwatile and Mekelaye Mwatile significantly limited Nepal’s scoring, with Wilk claiming three wickets for 17 runs and Mekelaye capturing three wickets for only 12 runs. Notably, this match marked the inaugural encounter between the women’s teams of Nepal and Namibia, and it further represented the first occasion when the Nepali women’s cricket team competed outside of Asia.
The T20 series employs a double round-robin league format, involving hosts Uganda, Nepal, Namibia, and Hong Kong. The leading teams following the league stage will advance to the final. Meanwhile, host Uganda started their tournament successfully, defeating Hong Kong by restricting them to 75 runs with Uganda successfully chasing down the target for a total of 78 runs at the loss of two wickets in just 17.2 overs. Nepal is scheduled to face the host team Uganda in their next match on March 9 (Sunday).
The Nepali women’s cricket team faced a challenging start in Uganda’s Women’s Day Twenty20 International Series, suffering a loss to Namibia under rain-affected conditions. Despite promising individual performances from players like Samjhana Khadka and Puja Mahato, the team was unable to constitute a formidable score. The tournament follows a league format, with Nepal set to play against Uganda next, aiming for a turnaround in their performance.
Original Source: risingnepaldaily.com
