Nepal’s T20 World Cup preparations suffered a setback as they fell to a 63-run defeat against Canada in their first official warm-up match on Monday night.
Canada Bats First, Sets Challenging Total
Opting to field first after winning the toss at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Nepal witnessed a strong batting performance from Canada. Nicholas Kirton led the charge with a well-paced 52 runs off 39 balls, while Ravinderpal Singh provided a late flourish with an unbeaten knock of 41 runs from just 17 deliveries. Contributions from Navneet Dhaliwal (32 runs) and Dilon Heyliger (13 runs) helped Canada post a competitive total of 183 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Nepal’s Batting Falters
Chasing a stiff target, Nepal’s batting line-up faltered under pressure. Openers Kushal Bhurtel (10 runs) and Rohit Paudel (1 run) were dismissed cheaply, setting the tone for a difficult chase. While Kushal Malla (37 runs) and Anil Shah (24 runs) provided some resistance with their knocks, a lack of partnerships proved costly for Nepal. Dillon Heyliger starred with the ball for Canada, claiming four wickets to dismantle Nepal’s batting order. Support from Saad Bin Zafar and Jeremy Gordon, who took two wickets each, further stifled Nepal’s chase.
Nepal eventually fell short, managing only 120 runs in 19.3 overs. Abinash Bohara (2 wickets) was the lone bright spot for Nepal’s bowlers, while the others chipped in with a wicket apiece.
This defeat serves as a wake-up call for Nepal as they gear up for the T20 World Cup. The team will be looking to identify their shortcomings and make necessary adjustments before the tournament begins.
