Nepal had another chance to register their first T20I win against a Test-playing nation. But once again, the batters failed in the run chase and Nepal lost by 21 runs despite the target being as low as 107. During the low-scoring encounter, tempers flared and young Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib sledged Nepal captain Rohit Paudel during a sensational opening spell. Sakib stared, sledged and then pushed Paudel but the Nepal captain doused the flames and killed a new rivalry on cricket field before it could grow.
"No, I think Tanzim bowled really well. Especially he, I would say he outplayed us with the new ball. He bowled really well because the wicket was very challenging. And I think he bowled in right areas. And he asked difficult questions to us. So, there's nothing between us. Just he came and he told me to hit. And I said, go and bowl. Nothing else," said Paudel in the post-match presentation.
Sakib succeeded in his attempt to fire up Paudel who took the bat and slashed his bat to find the fielder Rishad Hossain at gully. He departed after scoring just one run from six balls and contributed to the collapse in the powerplay overs.
Nepal blames top order batters for loss
While Nepal were bowled out for 85 with four balls remaining in the run chase, their bowlers put on an excellent display to bowl out Bangladesh for 106. Paudel lauded his bowlers and said that the top-order batters should have taken responsibility to chase down an under-par target.
"We bowled really well throughout the tournament and I think as a batting unit we didn't step up. Especially I think Bangladesh bowled really well and I think as a batting unit we batted really poor. There's no shame to accept that and as a top order batsman we could have taken that responsibility and scored that 107 runs. I think as a batting unit we failed," said the 21-year-old.
Not a single win but promise for future
Nepal did not register a single win in the marquee event. However, they came close to pulling off an upset against South Africa. They lost to the Proteas by the barest of margins as they faltered in the run chase of 116. They faced a six-wicket defeat against Netherlands whereas the match against Sri Lanka was abandoned due to rain.
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