Nepal Concludes Successful T20 World Cup Practice Tour
The Nepal men’s cricket team has recently concluded a successful practice tour ahead of the T20 World Cup. The tour featured a strong performance against the Mumbai Cricket Academy Presidents XI at the Brabourne Cricket Stadium.
Nepal’s Dominant Performance in Mumbai
In their final match of the practice tour, Nepal emerged victorious with a commanding 48-run win. Winning the toss, the Nepali team opted to bat first. They set a formidable target, scoring 183 runs at the cost of 5 wickets over 20 overs.
In reply, the Mumbai Cricket Academy managed only 135 runs, losing 8 wickets by the end of their innings.
Key Performers
Several players made significant contributions during the match:
- Aarif Sheikh: 66 not out from 42 balls
- Sundeep Jora: 31 runs from 26 balls
- Aasif Sheikh: 25 runs from 17 balls
- Gulshan Jha: 23 runs from 12 balls
- Lokesh Bam: 15 runs
- Basir Ahmad: 9 runs
On the bowling front, Sandeep Lamichhane shone with three wickets. Both Lalit Rajbanshi and Gulshan Jha supported well, securing two wickets each.
Earlier Matches in the Practice Tour
Prior to this fixture, Nepal had another successful outing against the Mumbai Cricket Academy. They chased down a total of 143 runs, winning by seven wickets. Key players in that game included:
- Rohit Paudel: Unbeaten 50 runs
- Kushal Bhurtel: 38 runs
- Dipendra Singh Airee: 28 runs
- Aasif Sheikh: 16 runs
The MCA had posted 142 runs in their innings during that match.
Looking Forward: Upcoming Matches
With the practice fixtures in Mumbai now complete, the Nepali team is scheduled to travel to Chennai. They will take on the United Arab Emirates on February 3, followed by a match against Canada on February 5. These games are crucial warm-ups ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Nepal’s World Cup campaign will commence on February 8 against England. They will compete in Group C, which includes notable teams such as the West Indies, Italy, and Scotland. The team seems to be gaining momentum as they approach these vital international matches.
