11 Feb 2nd ODI, Nepal v Canada : Five Notes
Nepal defeated Canada by four wickets and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match ODI series. Chasing a tricky 286, Nepal reached the target with 29 balls to spare. Here are the five keynotes from Nepal’s brilliant victory against Canada.
- Highest successful run chase in ODIs (Joint):
Nepal set the team record for the joint highest successful run chase in ODIs by chasing 285 against Canada. Nepal had successfully chased 285 against Namibia last year, albeit the run chase against Canada came in fewer overs.
Anil Sah’s blazing 50 of 20 balls set the tone for Nepal, followed by a steady and match-changing 150-run stand between captain Rohit Paudel and Dev Khanal. Kushal Malla, Bhim Sharki, Pawan Sarraf, and Sompal Kami contributed with the bat cementing a brilliant victory.
- Highest partnership for 3rd wicket in ODIs:
Rohit Poudel’s and Dev Khanal’s game-changing 150-run stand was Nepal’s highest for the 3rd wicket, breaking the previous 133 between Kushal Bhurtel and Rohit Poudel.
Rohit’s and Dev’s partnership completely swung the match in favor of Nepal. Rohit scored a half-century in ODI after 12 innings whereas the returning Dev Khanal scored his 3rd ODI half-century. In addition to giving Nepal the upper hand in the match, Rohit’s and Dev’s partnership gave us glimpses of what could eventually be Nepal’s solution to the middle-order problem.
- Kirtipur Fort: Streak continues
Nepal has remained undefeated at home in ODIs for over 450 days and 14 games, a testament to Nepal’s growth in ODI cricket in the last couple of years. The team seems to be confident in defending any target and backs itself to chase any target, regardless of the opposition. Despite missing key players, Nepal managed to fend off Canada without major hassle.
- Dev Khanal: The answer for Nepal’s middle order problem?
Dev Khanal gave us glimpses of his talent in the recently concluded U-19 World Cup in South Africa but his failure to convert successful starts into comprehensive knocks left Nepali supporters wanting more than the 20s-30s.
Returning to the senior team after more than a year, Dev Khanal finally managed to convert his start to an impactful knock. He played the kind of knock that does proper justification to his undoubted potential. Elegant in his strokeplay, Dev’s 76 of 81 at an outstanding SR of 94 solidified Nepal’s grip in the match.
Nepal’s batting order has been suffering from lacking a proper batting anchor in the middle order. Likes of Aarif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Sundeep Jora, etc. have had plentiful chances but failed to provide any stability and impact. Dev Khanal, who already has 3 half-centuries in just 11 ODI matches, could be Nepal’s answer to the middle-order problems.
- Fastest ODI fifty for Nepal: Anil Sah
Anil Sah’s blazing half-century set the tone for Nepal for the run chase. His half-century, which came in just 19 balls, was his first in ODI and the fastest by a Nepali batter in ODI. Returning to ODIs after nearly 2 years, Anil Sah made sure that the fans did not feel any absence of Bhurtel. His innings included 7 fours and 3 sixes and provided Nepal with the headstart in the run chase. With Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh seemingly the locked-in opening batting pair of Nepal, Anil has to continue making the most of the given chances and gradually increase his claim in the playing XI.
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