When tasked with defending a mere 3 runs, Saurabh Netravalkar could not recreate his World Cup Super Over success as Kushal Bhurtel and Rohit Paudel led Nepal to victory on the fourth ball, untroubled. It was fitting for Bhurtel to be at the crease, basking in the glory after spearheading Nepal to 170 in the first innings with an impressive 92* off 54 balls.
The 27-year-old, a key figure in Nepal’s batting lineup for some time, excelled once again on a night when he received little assistance from his teammates. Bhurtel set the rhythm for Nepal’s innings following Aasif Sheikh’s dismissal by Netravalkar in the third over. He went on the offensive against Ali Khan with two aggressive cut shots in the next over. While Anil Sah struggled against the USA’s spin attack after the powerplay, Bhurtel tactfully chipped away at the score. Following a powerful sweep against Harmeet, he struck the sightscreen twice in successive deliveries against Nosthush Kenjige and Milind Kumar.
Sah’s painstaking innings of 25 runs off 31 balls came to an end when Kenjige caught and bowled him in the tenth over. With Nepal scoring at about a run-a-ball pace, Gulsan Jha’s explosive innings of 19 off 12 brought much-needed momentum. Following Jha, Bhurtel unleashed a barrage of runs. He reached his ninth T20I fifty off just 33 balls in an unexpected manner, executing a top-edged reverse scoop off Khan that sailed over the boundary.
Despite wickets falling around him, Bhurtel remained assertive, accumulating another 38 runs in the last 5 overs as he thrived on USA’s decision to employ left-arm spin at the death. He came agonizingly close to his century, reaching the nineties with another reverse scoop against Khan, much to the dismay of the boisterous crowd of 2000 Nepalese supporters.
After hitting the final delivery of the innings for six, Karan KC made an immediate impact with the ball in his first over. Monank Patel’s nightmare performance continued as he was clean bowled, failing to reach double figures once again under pressure. The USA captain has not crossed the 20-run mark in his last five T20I innings. After a shaky start in the previous T20I, Andries Gous accelerated with two consecutive sixes off Karan KC shortly after his arrival. Following several boundaries through the offside, Sai Teja Mukkamalla capped the powerplay with a superb lofted shot off Karan KC, propelling the USA to 52 runs after 6 overs.
The aggressive approach continued as Gous welcomed left-arm spinner Sagar Dhakal with a massive six over mid-wicket. Mukkamalla, capitalizing on Dhakal’s inconsistent bowling, also struck him for a lofted drive over deep extra cover. While the duo continued their assault on Dhakal, Gulsan Jha managed a few economical overs with his military medium pace. In an attempt to break free from his own run-a-ball innings, Mukkamalla hoisted Dipendra Singh Airee high over cow corner but was caught off the subsequent delivery, falling just short of a half-century. His wicket shifted the balance of the match, with 75 runs needed off the last 8 overs. USA faced even more trouble when an incorrect lbw dismissal left Aaron Jones furious while heading back in the 14th over.
Nepal continued to impose pressure as they quickly dismissed Milind Kumar in the 16th over. With the required run rate escalating to 12 per over, powerful hitter Shayan Jahangir played some exquisite shots to ease the tension in the dressing room. Jahangir foresaw Karan KC’s wide deliveries and cleverly clipped one to square leg before muscling another over long-off’s head. Gous then smashed Dhakal down the ground, greatly reducing the equation to just 16 runs off 14 balls.
Jahangir’s dismissal on the last ball of the 18th over created a sense of uncertainty for USA. With the match seemingly in their favor, a reckless attempt at a six over the longer boundary allowed Nepal to regain hope. The USA could not respond to Nepal’s clever strategy of steering clear of the shorter boundary, allowing Karan KC to finish the penultimate over with a comfortable 7-run lead for Kami to defend. Under intense pressure in the final over, USA collapsed dramatically, requiring just three runs from three deliveries but failing to clinch the victory. Gous, who had played an instrumental role with a gallant 62 off 43, fell on his sword with a reckless heave over long-on that landed safely in Bhurtel’s hands. Kami kept his composure, closing out the over to secure Nepal’s stunning win that had seemed improbable moments earlier.
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