By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Nepal defeated Papua New Guinea by 7 wickets in their ICC World Cup League-2 Tri-series ODI match on Tuesday riding on half centuries from opener Kushal Bhurtel and top-order batsman Aarif Sheikh. Nepal have wrapped up their UAE visit with this match.
Chasing a modest target of 174 runs, Nepal achieved victory in 37 overs losing 3 wickets.
Aarif Sheikh topscored 59 runs off 102 balls for Nepal. His innings included four boundaries. It was the first half century of Sheikh in his ODI career. Sheikh and Rohit Kumar Poudel played a 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket to ensure Nepal’s victory. Opener Kushal Bhurtel was stumped out for 50 runs off 64 balls. It was his second half century in ODI matches. Likewise, another opener Aasif Sheikh was out for 2 runs while Dipendra Singh Airee was out for a duck.
Charles Amini of PNG took two wickets while Merowa bagged a wicket.
Earlier, opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, PNG scored 173 runs in 50 overs losing 9 wickets.
Nepal’s skipper Sandeep Lamichhane and fast bowler Sompal Kami took two wickets each while Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Karan KC grabbed a wicket each.
Nepal had won the first match of the triangular series against PNG by 2 wickets but lost the next two matches to the UAE by 48 runs and 99 runs respectively.
Nepal will now host PNG at its home ground for a two-match ODI series. The matches will be held on Friday and Saturday. Following the matches, Nepal, PNG and Malaysia will play in a T20I series.
