Nepal vs PNG: Nepal clinches series

KATHMANDU, September 11: Nepal has won the cricket series against Papua New Guinea (PNG) with a star performance from ace leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. 

Sandeep took 6 wickets in only 5.1 overs while giving away 11 runs to help Nepal inflict a heavy defeat against Papua New Guinea by 151 runs in the second One Day International (ODI) palyed at the Al Amerat of Oman on Friday, to win the series 2-0.

This is so far the best bowling figures for Sandeep. He had earlier taken six wickets for 16 runs in a match against the United States at the Tribhuvan International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur in 2020.

Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal had set a target of 234 runs for victory over Papua New Guinea. Nepal lost all its wickets in 49.3 overs with 233 runs on the board. Rohit Kumar Poudel and Karan KC lifted Nepal's innings in crisis. Poudel contributed 86 runs hitting three sixes and two fours off 123 balls. Similarly, KC scored 42 runs off 26 balls. It included four sixes and two fours.

For Nepal, captain Gyanendra Malla scored 45 off 70 balls with the help of two sixes and three fours, Binod Bhandari contributed 17 and Sompal Kami 11 runs. 

For Papua New Guinea, Chad Soper took three wickets, Kabua Moria and Norman Vanua two each and Charles Amini one. 

Elected to bowl first, Papua New Guinea lost all their wickets in 19.1 overs and managed to score only 82 runs. Tony Ura scored 19 runs, Charles Amini 16, Norman Vanua 12, Sese Bau 11 and Gaudi Toka 10. 

Apart from the 6 wickets by Sandeep, Sompal Kami, Vikram Sob and Susan Bhari took one wicket each for Nepal. Sandeep won the player of the match award.

In the first match of the series, Nepal had defeated Papua New Guinea by two wickets. Nepal will now play a triangular one-day series against Oman and the United States of America in the ICC Cricket World Cup League-2 starting from Monday. 

Oman series will run till September 20. In the triangular series, Nepal will play two games each against Oman and the United States.