Nepal lost their opening match against Namibia in the Women’s Day Cup, posting a total of only 92 runs. Wilka and Mekelanye Mwatile excelled in bowling for Namibia, each taking three wickets. Namibia chased down a revised target of 71 runs due to rain delays. Nepal will play Uganda and Hong Kong next before facing Namibia again.
In the opening match of the Women’s Day Cup, Nepal suffered a defeat against Namibia in Uganda. The hosts, Uganda, triumphed over Hong Kong in another match on the same day. Winning the toss, Nepal opted to bat first, but managed to score only 92 runs from their allotted overs. This marked their first encounter with Namibia in women’s cricket.
Key performers for Nepal included 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 unbeaten with 17 runs from 14 balls. The Namibian bowlers, particularly Wilka Mwatile and Mekelanye Mwatile, proved formidable, each capturing three wickets while maintaining economical bowling rates.
Nepal’s batting total fell short of being defendable, particularly after the rain interruptions adjusted the target for Namibia to 71 runs in 15 overs. Namibia successfully chased down the new target with six wickets in hand and just two balls to spare. Mekelanye Mwatile not only took three wickets but also became the highest scorer for Namibia with 26 runs off 35 deliveries.
Jurriene Diergaardt concluded the match for Namibia with a quick contribution of 13 runs off 7 balls. Though Nepal’s bowlers, including Mahato, Joshi, captain Indu Barma, and Bist, each claimed one wicket, it proved inadequate for victory. Despite this initial loss, captain Barma and coach Manoj Katwal maintained optimism about winning the series, emphasizing the possibility of recovery with five matches still remaining in the tournament.
Nepal will next face Uganda and Hong Kong on March 9 and 10, respectively, before returning to compete against Namibia again on March 12.
In summary, Nepal’s cricket team faced a disappointing loss against Namibia in their first Women’s Day Cup match, scoring only 92 runs. Despite strong bowling efforts from the Namibian team, Nepal has an opportunity for redemption in the upcoming matches against Uganda and Hong Kong. With several games left in the series, Nepal remains hopeful for a turnaround in performance.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
