13 Feb 3rd ODI, Nepal vs Canada : Five Notes
Nepal defeated Canada by nine wickets in the 3rd ODI and clean-swept the ODI series 3-0. Chasing the target of 233, Nepal comfortably reached the target with 33 balls to spare. Here are the five keynotes from Nepal vs Canada, 3rd ODI :
- Nepal’s highest run partnership for any wicket
Anil Sah’s and Bhim Sharki’s mammoth 189-run stand for the 2nd wicket was Nepal’s highest partnership for any wicket. Fresh from his record-breaking half-century in the previous game, Anil Sah stayed in the middle throughout the Nepali innings, scoring 112* off 124 whereas Bhim, who was promoted to bat at no.3, scored 101* off 129.
Anil and Bhim, scoring their maiden ODI century, solidified their case for regular inclusion in the playing XI. Bhim’s century couldn’t have come at any better time as his place in the side was far from secure. Anil continued his renaissance and with more important tournaments ahead, he looks set for the big 2024 season.
- Competition for batting positions is higher than ever
For a side like Nepal which was mostly known for bowling heroics, the batting order looks confident and healthy more than ever. There were questions about the middle-order lineup before this series. As the series progressed, Nepal’s batting order looked increasingly confident and difficult to breach. Kushal Bhurtel, Anil Sah, Rohit Paudel, Dev Khanal, and Bhim Sharki played impactful knocks. Nepal’s ODI setup has never been blessed with so many viable batting options. For now, Nepal seems to have found a blueprint for the batting order.
- Kushal Malla: A full-fledged all-rounder?
Kushal Malla bowled for 10 full overs for the 2nd consecutive match, the only time it had happened before was in 2021. With Nepal shuffling the bowling lineup, Kushal was entrusted to bowl full quota. His figures for the whole series stand at :
23-1-95-5 at a healthy economy of 4.53 and an average of 19.
Kushal has always been considered an all-rounder but has rarely been used as someone who could bowl 10 overs for the team. His batting exploits have been well-known and seem to be getting better. With Nepal searching for a handy allrounder due to the fitness concern of Dipendra Singh Airee, Kushal Malla could become a full-fledged allrounder.
- Streak at Kirtipur: Tough series ahead
Nepal dismantled Canada and remains unbeaten at Kirtipur for over 450 days. Nepal looked increasingly clear of the Canadian side and handed a thumping win in the final match. While Nepal’s performance in the series is a testament to their rise as a strong ODI side, the series served fewer purposes than a preparatory platform for the tournaments. Nepal starts the WCL 2 campaign against two of the strongest associate sides, Netherlands and Namibia, followed by the t20i series against the same opposition. Then there is the much-awaited T20 World Cup in June. Nepal’s cricketing skill will be tested to the limit beginning with the Netherlands-Namibia-Nepal League 2 series.
- Exciting few months for Nepal cricket :
Has there ever been a better time to be a Nepali cricket supporter? The cricketing season started on a high note. Nepal is a well-settled ODI side now and seems to improve each match. The WCL 2 tri-series and T20I series, involving Netherlands and Namibia, lie ahead. A tougher road lies ahead and all these matches ultimately lead to the T20 World Cup in June.
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