Nepal beats PNG by 2 wickets, Rohit Paudel scores 41

KATHMANDU: Nepal has beaten Papua New Guinea (PNG) by two wickets with 63 balls remaining to bowl in the first one-day international match played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman on Monday.

Nepal chased the target of 135 runs after restricting Papua New Guinea to 134 runs in the 33rd over. 

Nepal’s Rohit Paudel scored 41 runs off the 65 runs while Aasif Sheikh added 30 and Sompal Kami 22 to the Nepali’s scoreboard to lead the team to victory in the 40th over. 

Captain Gyanendra Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Sharad Veswakar and Kushal Malla could not reach the double-digit mark while Pawan Sarraf and Bikram Sob couldn’t open their account either. 

After winning the toss, PNG opted to bat first and invited Nepal to bowl. Nepal’s debutant bowler Bikram Sob claimed two wickets. Similarly, Kushal Malla sent two PNG players to the pavilion while Sompal Kami took a wicket. Thanks to four wicket-haul by leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. Lamichhane conceded only 35 runs in ten overs. 

Nepal’s scorecard 

Kushal Bhurtel: 15(28) 

Aasif Sheikh : 30 (46) 

Gyanendra Malla : 6 (19) 

Aarif Sheikh : 9 (19) 

Sharad Veswakar: 6 (22) 

Rohit Paudel : 41 (65) 

Kushal Malla : 1 (3)
Pawan Sarraf : 0 (1) 

Sompal Kami : 22 (32) 

Bikram Sob : 0(2)