The Nepal cricket team accomplished a historic feat on Saturday, September 27, by defeating a Test-playing nation for the first time. Rohit Paudel’s team overcame a young and inexperienced West Indies side by 19 runs at the legendary Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Rohit Paudel took the lead from the start, scoring 38 runs off 35 balls for Nepal.
The Asian team finished on 148/8 after being asked to bat first. In response, the West Indies were limited to 129/9. Nepal’s bowling and fielding performances were commendable. They executed their preparations flawlessly to grab a 1-0 lead in the three-game series.
“It’s feeling great, a long wait to beat a Test-playing country, that too in a series we are hosting. I want to dedicate this award to the martyrs back home who participated in the protest. The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, that would be great,” Paudel said after the match.
The demonstrations he referred to started after Nepal’s government temporarily blocked social media platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube, citing regulatory disputes. The ban quickly escalated into wider protests against alleged corruption and state violence, resulting in violent clashes with police, where at least 22 people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured.
A confident Paudel said that his team came to the United Arab Emirates confident about their chances of winning the series. He asserted that his team will stay grounded and try to follow the process diligently.
“The mindset was very clear, if we are coming here, we are there to win the series. We will stay grounded, do the process right, and see whatever comes next,” he added.
The second T20I is set to be played at the same venue on Monday, September 29. Akeal Hosein-led West Indies will have to win this encounter to keep themselves alive in the series.
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