In the opening match of the Top End T20 Series in Australia’s Northern Territory, Nepal was defeated by the Northern Territory (NT) Strikers by 42 runs. Chasing a target of 178 set by NT, Nepal managed only 135 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
For Nepal, Kushal Malla top-scored with 34 runs, while Gulshan Jha contributed 26 runs. Captain Rohit Paudel added 23 runs to the total.
NT’s Matt Hammond was the standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets, with Tom Andrews and Kane Richardson taking 2 wickets each, and Hamish Martin picking up 1 wicket.
Earlier, after losing the toss, NT batted first and posted 177 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs. NT captain and opener Darcy Short played a brilliant innings, scoring an unbeaten 51, while Tom Andrews remained not out on 32 runs.
For Nepal, leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane delivered 4 overs for 38 runs, taking 3 wickets. Shahab Alam took 2 wickets for 32 runs, while Rupesh Singh, Dipendra Singh Airee, and captain Rohit Paudel claimed one wicket each.
The NT Strikers had won the inaugural edition of this series in 2023, while last year they reached the semifinals.
The tournament, which runs until 24th August across Darwin and Palmerston, features 11 teams playing a total of 36 league matches. Nepal will next face Bangladesh ‘A’ tomorrow.