NEP vs USA, ICC CWC League 2: Nepal Lose By Three Wickets Against United States in Thriller

Nepal’s valiant fight ends in a narrow defeat

In a thrilling encounter at the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match between Nepal and the United States, the American team emerged victorious by a narrow margin of three wickets. Nepal, batting first, put up a competitive total of 218, but the USA chased down the target with just three balls to spare, thanks to a fine half-century from Steven Taylor.

Nepal's Strong Start

Nepal got off to a solid start, with openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh putting on a 69-run partnership. Bhurtel was the aggressor, scoring 36 off 23 balls, including five fours and a six. Sheikh provided solid support with a 30-ball 27. After the openers departed, Rohit Paudel (26) and Dipendra Singh Airee (31) kept the scoreboard ticking with useful contributions.

Later, Sompal Kami added a quickfire 23 off 14 balls to help Nepal reach a respectable total. For the USA, Nisarg Patel was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-46, while Saurabh Netravalkar and Ali Khan claimed two wickets each.

USA's Successful Chase

In response, the USA openers, Taylor and Gajanand Singh, provided a steady start, putting on 51 runs for the first wicket. Taylor was particularly impressive, hitting five fours and a six in his knock of 68 off 72 balls.

Late Drama

As the match progressed, the required run rate for the USA increased, and the tension mounted. The game went down to the wire, with the USA needing 13 runs off the final over. Aaron Jones hit a boundary off the first ball to ease the pressure, and Taylor followed up with a four off the third ball to bring the equation down to 5 runs off 3 balls.

In the end, it was Jones who sealed the victory with a boundary off the fifth ball of the over, giving the USA a thrilling three-wicket win.

Post-Match Reactions

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel expressed disappointment at the loss but praised his team for their fighting spirit. "We played well, but the USA batted really well in the end. We need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger in the next match," he said.

USA captain Saurabh Netravalkar hailed his team's performance, particularly Taylor's match-winning knock. "It was a great team effort. Steven played a brilliant innings, and we held our nerves in the end. This win will give us a lot of confidence for the rest of the tournament," he said.

Conclusion

The ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match between Nepal and the United States was a thrilling encounter that went down to the wire. The USA ultimately emerged victorious, but Nepal can take heart from their competitive performance. Both teams will look to build on their performances in the remaining matches of the tournament.