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Shai Hope-led West Indies registered a comprehensive 101-run win over Nepal in World Cup Qualifiers 2023 clash at Harare Sports Club on June 22. Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran's centuries guided West Indies to a mammoth total of 339/7 which turned out to be too big an ask from Nepal batters as they got all out for 238.
Pooran, Hope change the game
Nepal skipper won the toss and opted to field first. The decision turned out to work in Nepal's favour with the new ball as Kyle Mayers and Johnson Charles got out early. Brandon King had played himself in but got bowled by Sandeep Lamicchane for 32 runs from 42 balls. West Indies needed a partnership and they got a reprieve as Pooran's catch was dropped in the 17th over. After that, he did not curb his natural instinct to attack and hit fours and sixes. Hope got to his half-century from 74 balls in 27th over. The 100-run partnership came in the 32nd over.
Pooran got to his half-century from 51 balls. Both Hope and Pooran went after the bowlers as they erred in their plans. Hope got to his 15th ODI century in 40th over. He took 107 deliveries. In the same over, Pooran got to his century from 81 balls. The 200-run partnership was completed in the 42nd over.
The partnership was broken in the 44th over. He scored 115 runs from 94 deliveries including 10 fours and four sixes. Then Rovman Powell played a 14-ball 29 cameo before getting dismissed by Lalit Rajbanshi. In the final over, Hope lost his wicket to Rajbanshi. The skipper scored 132 runs from 129 deliveries including 10 fours and three sixes. West Indies posted 339/7.
Nepal fail to pose a challenge
In the run chase, Nepal lost their opener Kushal Bhurtel in the second over. In the fifth over, Bhim Sharki got out for a single-digit score. In the eighth over, Rohit Paudel's catch got dropped. Aasif Sheikh played himself in but got dismissed Keemo Paul. Sheikh scored 28 runs from 36 balls. Paudel got dropped again but he could not make it count. Paudel lost his wicket to Holder. He scored 30 runs from 43 deliveries.
Akeal Hosein was introduced into the attack and he got the wicket of Kushal Malla for a single-digit score as substitute fielder Keacy Carty took a blinder on the long-on boundary. Airee scored quickly to push the run rate but he became Hosein's second victim of the day. Then Sheikh and Gulshan Jha shared a 48-run partnership. Jha scored 42 runs from 58 balls including five fours and one six.
Lamicchane could not make an impact and became Holder's third wicket of the day. Sheikh turned out to be the only batter who scored a half-century for Nepal. He scored 63 runs from 93 balls including four fours and one six. Towards the end of the innings Karan contributed with a 27-ball 28. In the last over, he got out to Mayers. Nepal got all out for 238. This was Nepal's second loss of the tournament. With their second win and better net run rate (NRR), West Indies are on top of the Group A points table.
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