The Netherlands defeated Nepal by six wickets in the opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The Group D fixture, held at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
Nepal’s Struggles with the Bat
Nepal’s return to the T20 World Cup after a decade-long absence was marked by a difficult start. Nepal lost the toss to the Netherlands, who decided to bowl first. The cloudy conditions allowed for plenty of swing and seam movement, which the Dutch bowlers took advantage of.
Nepal’s top order collapsed early on. Kushal bhurtel and Aasif shiekh came as opener. They could not really showcase their performance. The middle order, led by captain Rohit Paudel, attempted to stabilize the innings but struggled to form strong partnerships. Paudel scored a valiant 35, but lacked support on the other end. The team was eventually dismissed for 106 in 19.2 overs.
Logan van Beek and Tim Pringle were the Netherlands’ standout bowlers, taking three wickets each. Van Beek’s 3/18 and Tim Pringle’s 3/20 really stopped Nepal from giving the desired target.
Netherlands’ Confident Chase
In response, the Netherlands approached the modest target with confidence. Despite losing opener Michael Levitt early, Max O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh maintained a solid partnership. Singh scored a quick 22 runs, while Max O’Dowd batted for 54 runs without being out.
The Netherlands reached the target in 18.4 overs, finishing at 109 for 4 and securing a comfortable six-wicket victory.
Looking Ahead
Despite losing, Nepal will look to comeback and make a stronger impact in their upcoming matches. Their return to the World Cup after 10 years is a significant achievement, and they will aim to build on this experience.
Let’s all cheer up for Nepal and support them for upcoming matches!
Catchup with other latest news: https://whatthenepal.com/2024/06/04/nepal-to-play-against-netherlands-in-crucial-t20-world-cup-match/
