Nepal celebrated a historic night at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, triumphing over the West Indies by 19 runs. This victory is particularly significant as it represents Nepal’s first-ever win against a Full Member nation in any format of the game. While they had previously defeated Afghanistan, that win came when Afghanistan was still an Associate member. This latest win carries greater weight and signifies a major achievement for the team. The T20I match was also the start of Nepal’s first-ever bilateral series against a Full Member. Batting first, Nepal faced early challenges but recovered thanks to Kushal Malla’s aggressive 37 and captain Rohit Paudel’s composed 35. West Indies debutant Navin Bidaisee impressed with figures of 3 for 29, and Jason Holder’s late surge in the 19th over put pressure on Nepal’s innings. However, Nepal managed to reach 148 for 8, aided by some fielding errors from the Windies. In the West Indies’ response, Nepal’s fielding was electric, with a stunning direct hit from Bhurtel removing Kyle Mayers early on. The Nepal spinners then took control, with Paudel, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Dipendra Singh Airee choking the scoring. Needing 70 runs off the final five overs, the West Indies couldn’t find an answer. Despite late hitting from Fabian Allen and Akeal Hosein, Nepal held their nerve, and Karan KC dismissed the Windies captain in the penultimate over, securing the historic win. This victory serves as a strong statement, marking the dawn of a new era for Nepal cricket, and attracting attention from around the globe.
