Nepal sets target of 291 runs to Zimbabwe

KATHMANDU, June 18: Nepal has set a target of 291 runs to the home team Zimbabwe in their first match of the ICC One Day World Cup Qualifiers on Sunday. 

After losing the toss, Nepal was invited to bat first. Nepal scored 290 runs and lost eight wickets in the scheduled over. Opener batsmen Bhurtel and Asif Sheikh scored a combined 171 runs for Nepal.

Bhurtel failed to score a century by just one run as he scored 99 runs by himself. He faced 95 balls and was able to hit two sixes and 13 fours. Opener Asif Sheikh also scored 66 runs by himself. He faced 100 balls and hit seven fours. 

Kushal Malla, who came to hold the crease at number three, added 41 runs for Nepal. He faced only 42 balls, hitting three sixes and two fours. Captain Rohit Paudel also scored 31 runs for the team. Paudel, who came to hold the crease at number four, hit five fours in 29 balls.

Arif Sheikh added 10 runs and Gulsan Jha added 13 runs. Bhim Sarki returned to the pavilion with zero runs. Dipendra Singh Airee was out after only 6 runs. Karan KC added two runs for the team. 

Zimbabwean bowler Richard Nagarava took down four wickets by himself. Wellington Masakadza also took down two wickets. Tendai Chatara took one wicket. Nepal got 22 extra runs in the match.