Nepal lost their opening game of the Women’s Day Cup to Namibia with a score of 92. Key contributors for Nepal were limited to single digits, while Namibia achieved the revised target of 71 runs with ease. Despite this setback, Nepal has five more matches to turn their performance around and possibly win the series.
Nepal commenced their campaign in the Women’s Day Cup with a defeat against Namibia at Entebbe Cricket Oval on Saturday. The other match of the day saw hosts Uganda triumph over Hong Kong. Winning the toss, Nepal opted to bat first but could only muster a disappointing total of 92 runs, marking the first competitive meeting between Nepal and Namibia in women’s cricket.
The batting performance for Nepal was lackluster, with opener Samjhana Khadka scoring 18 runs off 11 balls, while teenager Puja Mahato contributed 13 runs off 20 balls. Kabita Joshi and Ishwari Bist had modest scores, with Joshi hitting 16 runs off 31 balls and Bist remaining not out at 17 runs off 14 balls. The higher wicket-takers for Namibia were Wilka Mwatile and Mekelanye Mwatile, who each claimed three wickets while controlling runs, conceding only 17 and 12 runs, respectively.
Nepal’s predicament worsened when Namibia’s target of 92 was revised to 71 runs in 15 overs due to rain interruptions, with Namibia starting at 39 for 1 in eight overs. Upon resuming, Namibia achieved the revised target with two balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Mekelanye Mwatile not only excelled with the ball but also topped the scoring for Namibia with 26 runs off 35 balls. Jurriene Diergaardt supported the chase, finishing with 13 runs off 7 balls.
Despite Nepal’s bowlers, including Mahato, Joshi, skipper Indu Barma, and Bist each claiming a wicket, it was not sufficient to clinch victory. Prior to departing for Uganda, Barma and coach Manoj Katwal expressed optimism about the series victory. Although this initial match resulted in a setback, Nepal still has five matches ahead in the tournament, which utilizes a double round-robin format.
In the coming days, Nepal will face Uganda on March 9 and Hong Kong on March 10, prior to a rematch against Namibia scheduled for March 12.
Nepal’s disappointing defeat to Namibia in their opening match of the Women’s Day Cup underscores the challenges they face in this tournament. With a meager score of 92 runs and facing a revised target, their performance was underwhelming. However, the team remains hopeful, as they have several matches ahead to recover and potentially secure a series win.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
