Nepal beat the Netherlands, clinch Tri-Nation T20I Series title

Nepal clinched the Tri-Nation T20 cricket series title after defeating the Netherlands by 142 runs in the final match played at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur today. Nepal has won the title at the home ground after 11 years.

After losing the toss, Nepal headed for batting and secured 238 runs for the loss of three wickets in the 20 overs. Chasing a victory target of 239 runs, the Netherlands scored only 96 runs losing all their wickets in 17.2 overs. Nepal had given a record target to the opposition team in T20 cricket today. Earlier, Nepal had set a target of 236 runs for Bhutan in the XIII South Asian Games in 2019.

In today's match, Kushal Bhurtel hit his fourth half-century. He has become the first player to score four half-centuries in the same series. Bhurtel scored 77 runs. He took three sixes and eight fours in 53 balls. Likewise, Ashif Sheikh took 16 runs while the Nepali team captain Gyanendra Malla contributed 33 runs. Kushal Malla made a half-century by scoring an unbeaten 50 off 24 balls. Malla took five sixes and fours twice. Likewise, vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee scored an unbeaten 48 runs. He took three sixes and five fours off 18 balls. For the Netherlands, Philippe Boissevain took two wickets while Sebastiaan Braat one.

The Netherlands lost the first wicket in the second over. The Dutch team lost six wickets in eight overs and secured 43 runs. Max O'Dowd scored 20 runs for his team. Likewise, captain Pieter Seelar scored 13 runs. Sebastiaan Braat was the one who supported his team till the last minute. He scored an unbeaten 26 runs. Other players could not secure any run. Two players from the Netherlands were run out.

In bowling from the Nepali side, Karan KC took three wickets, Kamal Airee and Sandeep Lamichhane two wickets each and Avinash Bohara one wicket. Lamichhane took two wickets for 26 runs in four overs. Lamichhane has become the highest wicket-taker in the series. He took a total of 13 wickets in five matches.

Nepal won four games and lost one in the T20 series.

Meanwhile, Nepali cricketer Kushal Bhurtel has been announced the 'Player of the Series' as he posted a total of 278 runs including four fifties in five games in the series.