Nepal lost to Namibia in the opener of the Women’s Day Cup, scoring only 92 runs. Despite some individual contributions, they could not defend the total, which was revised to 71 runs for Namibia after rain interruptions. Namibia successfully chased down the target with six wickets remaining. Nepal’s next matches are against Uganda and Hong Kong on March 9 and 10.
Nepal suffered a defeat in their opening match of the Women’s Day Cup against Namibia on Saturday in Uganda. The hosts, Uganda, also won their match against Hong Kong on the same day. Nepal, winning the toss, opted to bat first and managed to score only 92 runs, marking their first encounter with Namibia in women’s cricket.
Key performances for Nepal came from opener Samjhana Khadka, who scored 18 runs off 11 balls, and Kabita Joshi, contributing 16 runs off 31 balls. Teenager Puja Mahato added 13 runs off 20 balls, while Ishwari Bist remained not out at 17 runs off 14 balls. The batting lineup faltered considerably, with no player reaching a score above 18.
Namibia’s bowlers Wilka Mwatile and Mekelanye Mwatile proved to be especially problematic, each taking three wickets in four overs while conceding only 17 and 12 runs, respectively. Nepal’s total, which included an additional 15 runs from extras, proved insufficient, especially when the target for Namibia was revised due to rain interruptions.
When play resumed, Namibia’s target was reduced to 71 runs in 15 overs. They successfully chased this down with two balls to spare, finishing with six wickets in hand. Mekelanye Mwatile was also the top scorer for Namibia with 26 runs off 35 balls, while Jurriene Diergaardt helped secure the win with 13 runs off 7 balls.
Nepal’s bowlers Mahato, Joshi, skipper Indu Barma, and Bist each took one wicket, but it was not enough to alter the course of the game. Prior to their departure for Uganda, Barma and coach Manoj Katwal expressed their aspirations to win the series. Despite this opening setback, they have five matches left in the tournament, with hopes of a turnaround still possible as they prepare to face Uganda and Hong Kong on March 9 and 10, respectively, followed by a rematch with Namibia on March 12.
In summary, Nepal’s opening loss to Namibia in the Women’s Day Cup highlights significant challenges in their batting lineup, ultimately achieving only 92 runs. Despite individual efforts from a few players, lackluster performances from the majority hindered their chances, compounded by effective bowling from Namibia. Looking forward, Nepal still has opportunities to recover in the tournament with five matches remaining to secure a favorable outcome.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
