Kenya DISMISS Nepal: National cricket team overcome rain to triumph

Kenya national cricket team yesterday beat Nepal by five wickets in a World Cricket League Championships match played at Tribhuvan University Oval, Kirtipur, Nepal.

Heavy rains pounded Kirtipur causing the delay in the toss and forcing the number of overs in the 50-overs match to be reduced and the outcome be decided using the Duckworth/ Lewis (D/L) method.

After winning the toss, Kenya chose to field and bowled tightly, forcing the hosts to struggle to get runs despite enjoying home advantage.

Kenya restricted the hosts to a score of 112 for the loss of eight wickets in 36 overs before the rains interrupted the match once again. A revision was done again and Kenya given a target of 104 in 29 overs.

They began their innings on a sticky wicket as Nepal’s veteran bowler Basant Regmi removed Alex Obanda in the second over with a run to his name to make the scores 8 for 1.

Dhiren Gondaria went in but his second wicket partnership with Irfan Karim did not last long as he was caught by Sompali Kami off Sagar Pun to put Kenya’s score at 21 for the loss of two wickets. Gondaria added seven runs, from 17 deliveries to Kenya’s scoreboard.

Pun was not done with the visitors and he struck once again and dismissed Irfan Karim with the next ball.

Former skipper Collins Obuya and the current, Rakep Patel, steadied the Kenyan ship as the former blasted 24 off 32 and the latter struck an unbeaten 34. Obuya was trapped leg before by S Lamichhane

By the 22nd over, when Kenya had scored 80 for the loss of five, the heavens opened once again and on resumption the target was revised to 94 in 26 overs. Patel and Gurdeep Singh put up a spirited fight to push the score at 98-5 and secure the much needed win in 24.1 overs.

Rakep said that despite it being a low-scoring game, chasing their target was not easy and he believed that the entire team played their hearts out.

“The conditions were not good with the rains, but we gave it our best. Beating a team that is playing at home is not easy because apart from home support, they also understand the conditions,” Patel said.