Nepal lost to Namibia in the opening match of the Women’s Day Cup, posting a total of 92 runs. Namibia chased down a revised target of 71 in a 15-over match after rain interruptions. Key players for Nepal included Samjhana Khadka and Ishwari Bist, while Namibia excelled with bowlers Mwatile and Mwatile. Nepal faces Uganda and Hong Kong next, and still has opportunities to win the series.
In the opening match of the Women’s Day Cup, Nepal fell to Namibia, posting a low total of 92 runs after winning the toss and electing to bat. This marked their first encounter against Namibia in women’s cricket. Key contributions came from Samjhana Khadka with 18 runs, Puja Mahato contributing 13, and Kabita Joshi adding 16 runs; Ishwari Bist remained not out at 17.
Namibia’s bowlers dominated, with Wilka Mwatile and Mekelanye Mwatile claiming three wickets each for just 17 and 12 runs, respectively. Nepal’s inability to defend a low score was exacerbated by rain, which adjusted Namibia’s chase target to 71 runs in 15 overs after they had started at 39 for 1 in eight overs. Namibia successfully reached this target with six wickets in hand.
Mekelanye Mwatile not only excelled with the ball but also top-scored for Namibia with 26 runs off 35 balls. Jurriene Diergaardt remained unbeaten at 13 runs off 7 balls, successfully guiding Namibia to victory. For Nepal, Mahato, Joshi, skipper Indu Barma, and Bist each took a wicket, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
Despite this loss, Nepal still has the opportunity to win the series, with five matches remaining, including upcoming games against Uganda and Hong Kong on March 9 and 10, before a second-round match against Namibia on March 12. Team leaders Barma and coach Manoj Katwal had expressed optimism about their chances before departing for Uganda.
Nepal’s cricket team experienced a challenging start in the Women’s Day Cup, losing to Namibia due to a combination of low batting performance and effective bowling from their rivals. However, there remain several matches in the tournament, providing a chance for Nepal to recover and vie for the series win. The subsequent matches against Uganda and Hong Kong will be critical for restructuring their path in the tournament.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
