In a pulsating encounter at TU cricket ground, Kirtipur, Nepal fell short by a narrow margin of 10 runs against West Indies ‘A’ in the second T20I of the five-match series. Captain Rohit Paudel continued his red-hot form, blazing an unbeaten 71 (48) knock with six fours and two sixes, but lacked crucial support from his batting partners.

This nail-biting match has leveled the series after Nepal’s convincing win in the first game. Nepal’s chase of a modest 161-run target started off on a shaky note with the early dismissal of opener Kushal Bhurtel. This triggered a mini-collapse, with Anil Shah and Lokesh Bom also departing early. Despite a brief spark from Gulshan Jha’s 26-run cameo, Nepal’s batting order succumbed to the consistent pressure from the West Indies bowlers, finishing at 150/9. Avid McCoy and Gudakesh Moti were the standout bowlers for the West Indies, taking two wickets each.

Earlier, Nepal’s bowlers displayed promising glimpses. With two wickets each, Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel kept the Windies in check. Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami chipped in with a wicket each. On the other hand, Motie and Andre Fletcher played a crucial role in the West Indies innings. Motie, with his aggressive 33 runs from 8 balls, and Fletcher provided steady support with his 43 runs. Their combined effort steered the West Indies innings to a defendable total of 160/7.

With the series tied at 1-1, all eyes are now on the crucial third T20I on Wednesday. Nepal will be eager to regain the lead against a determined West Indies ‘A’ team, making this a match not to be missed.