By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Nepal defeated Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 37 runs in their triangular T20I Series match on Thursday riding on five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, by Nepal’s fast bowler Karan KC.
Chasing a mammoth total of 204 runs for victory, PNG were all out in 19.4 overs with 166 runs on board. Karan KC has become the first Nepali player to score a hat-trick in T20I. He also became the country’s first player to take 5 wickets in the shortest format of the game.
KC forced a catch out of PNG’s Chad Sopar in the second ball of the 20th over. He then bowled out Simone Aati in the very next ball and then completed a hat-trick as Naisan Pokana was caught by Dipendra Singh Airee KC’s next ball.
Charles Amini of PNG scored 62 runs off 47 balls for the visitors.
Charles Amini was the top scorer for Papua New Guinea with 62 runs off 47 balls. Tony Ura scored 43 runs while Sesse Bau contributed 25 runs and Norman Vanua scored 17 for the visitors
Besides the five-wicket haul of Karan KC for the hosts, Avinash Bohara and Sompal Kami took two wickets each and captain Sandeep Lamichhane took one wicket.
Earlier, Nepal were invited to bat first after losing the toss at T Cricket Ground, and scored a total of 203 runs at the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
Dipendra Singh Airee contributed quickfire 66 runs including three boundaries and four sixes off 33 balls. Similarly, Rohit Poudel scored 41 runs, Aasif Sheikh 38, Mohammad Adil 31 and Kushal Bhurtel 17 runs.
Papua New Guinea’s Kabua Morea took three wickets, followed by two wickets by Riley Hekure and one each by Norman Vanua and Nosaina Pokana.
With this victory, Nepal have entered the final of the triangular T20I Series after winning their third match in a row.
In the first match of the series, Nepal defeated Papua New Guinea by 15 runs and in the second match the hosts defeated Malaysia by 6 wickets.
Nepal have amassed 6 points from 3 matches to top the table and qualify for the final with a match to spare. Nepal will now face Malaysia in the final match on Saturday.
