Nepal beat two-time T20I World champions to register their first-ever win against a Full Member
Nepal made history on Saturday, shocking the West Indies by 19 runs in the first T20 International of the three-match series between the countries in Sharjah. It is their first-ever victory over a Full Member across formats.
In 2014 they got the better of Afghanistan in a T20 International, but Afghanistan were then an Associate member.
The teams met once before in an ODI, at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier. On that occasion, the West Indies won by 101 runs, riding on Shai Hope's 132.
Batting first, after West Indies captain Akeal Hosein chose to field on winning the toss, Nepal, playing their first T20I against the two-time World champions, scored 148 for 8 in their allotted overs.
Skipper Rohit Paudel top-scored with 38 runs, including three fours and a six, off 35 balls, and Kushal Malla hit two fours and as many sixes in his 30 off 21, after openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh were back in the pavilion after 3.1 overs with only 12 runs on the board.
Jason Holder took four wickets for 20 runs while Navin Bidaisee bagged three for 29 runs.
In reply, the West Indies could only manage 129 for 9 after being fairly well-placed at 40 for 2 after six overs.
Nepal spinners Paudel and Lalit Rajbanshi did the damage, conceding just 16 in the next four overs while taking a wicket each.
The West Indies were unable to recover after those early wickets despite Navin Bidaisee scoring 22 off 25, skipper Hosein 18 off 19, including two sixes, and Fabian Allen 19 off 14 balls.
The second match of the series is at the same venue on September 29.