Nepal lost to Namibia in their opening match of the Women’s Day Cup, posting only 92 runs. Namibia successfully chased a revised target of 71 runs, securing victory. Nepal has several more matches in the tournament, with hopes to recover in upcoming games.
Nepal’s women cricket team faced a setback in their opening match of the Women’s Day Cup, losing to Namibia on Saturday in Entebbe, Uganda. The team elected to bat first after winning the toss but managed to set a modest score of 92 runs, with notable contributions from Samjhana Khadka, Puja Mahato, Kabita Joshi, and Ishwari Bist. Only four players reached double figures, which proved insufficient against their opponents.
Namibia’s bowlers, Wilka Mwatile and Mekelanye Mwatile, posed significant challenges for Nepal, each taking three wickets while conceding just 17 and 12 runs, respectively. After rain disrupted Namibia’s innings, their target was revised to 71 runs off 15 overs, which they successfully chased down with six wickets in hand and two balls remaining.
Mekelanye Mwatile was a standout performer for Namibia, not only taking three wickets but also scoring 26 runs, while Jurriene Diergaardt contributed 13 runs to help secure the win. For Nepal, Mahato, Joshi, skipper Indu Barma, and Bist each took one wicket, but it wasn’t enough.
Despite this opening loss, Nepal has five more matches ahead in a double round-robin format. They are scheduled to play against Uganda and Hong Kong on March 9 and 10, respectively, before facing Namibia again on March 12. Both Barma and coach Manoj Katwal expressed optimism about their chances for the series ahead of their departure for Uganda.
Nepal’s women cricket team commenced their Women’s Day Cup campaign with a disappointing performance, losing to Namibia due to a low total of 92 runs. Despite strong bowling from their opponents and a rain-affected match affecting their chances, Nepal remains in the tournament with further opportunities to secure wins in upcoming matches against Uganda and Hong Kong.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
