Nepal kicked off the SMS Friendship Cup triangular T20 series with a convincing 8-wicket victory over Gujarat. After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Nepal’s bowlers, led by Gulsan Jha (4 wickets) and Karan KC (3 wickets), restricted Gujarat to a modest 98 runs all out in 18.2 overs.
In reply, Nepal cruised to victory in just 15.2 overs. Anil Sah (32 runs) and Rohit Paudel (33 runs) anchored the chase before falling, with Aasif Sheikh (16 runs) and Kushal Bhurtel (17 runs) providing support.
The SMS Friendship Cup serves as crucial preparation for Nepal ahead of the ACC Premier Cup and World Cup. They continued their campaign against Baroda on April 2nd, followed by rematches against Gujarat (April 3rd) and Baroda (April 5th). The top two teams in the round-robin stage will progress to the final.
