Nepal achieved a stunning series victory by completing a clean sweep over the United States in the 3rd T20I held at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Dallas. In a display of dominance, Nepal secured an 8-wicket win, led by captain Aasif Sheikh’s composed 50 runs and Sompal Kami’s brilliant 3-wicket haul. The USA, despite making a competitive score, failed to contain the aggressive Nepalese lineup, resulting in a historic whitewash for the visitors.
The Toss and USA’s Batting Struggles
USA captain Monank Patel won the toss and opted to bat first, aiming to take early control of the match. However, this decision did not work in their favor. The hosts suffered an early collapse, losing both Monank Patel and Andries Gous for just 2 runs each within the first three overs. Their dismissals left the American team wobbling, unable to build the momentum they desperately needed at the top of the order.
Despite a few moments of stabilization during the powerplay, the dismissal of Aaron Jones (13 off 16) in the eighth over dealt another heavy blow to the USA’s innings. Jones, one of the USA’s key players, failed to get going, leaving the middle order with significant pressure to rebuild.
Mukkamalla and Milind’s Rescue Effort
Following Jones’ departure, the USA’s innings found a lifeline in Saiteja Mukkamalla and Milind Kumar. Mukkamalla (68 off 51) and Milind (43 off 35) put together a vital 76-run partnership, which helped the home side recover from their shaky start. This partnership allowed the USA to set a respectable target of 156 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Mukkamalla, in particular, played with great maturity, holding the innings together and ensuring that the USA did not collapse further under pressure.
While the partnership was crucial, the USA would have hoped for a few more aggressive knocks toward the end to put additional pressure on Nepal’s batting lineup. Unfortunately, they struggled to accelerate as much as they wanted, with only Milind Kumar remaining unbeaten at the end of the innings.
Nepal’s Bowling Dominance
Nepal’s bowling unit, led by Sompal Kami, was impressive throughout the USA innings. Kami’s figures of 3 wickets for 27 runs were pivotal in breaking the back of the USA’s batting lineup. His ability to take wickets at crucial moments stifled any potential momentum for the Americans.
Supporting Kami were Lalit Rajbanshi and Rijan Dhakal, both delivering economical spells with identical figures of 1 wicket for 23 runs each. Though other Nepalese bowlers didn’t grab many wickets, their disciplined bowling kept the USA’s scoring rate in check. Despite the efforts of Mukkamalla and Milind, the USA never looked in full control, thanks to the pressure exerted by Nepal’s bowlers.
Nepal’s Confident Chase
Chasing a target of 156, Nepal’s start wasn’t flawless, as they lost opener Anil Sah (13 off 11) in the fifth over. However, this early setback did not deter the visitors. Captain Aasif Sheikh stepped up, playing a captain’s knock of 50 off 39 balls, forming a solid partnership with Kushal Bhurtel (40 off 32) to steady the ship.
Sheikh’s innings was marked by precision and composure, guiding Nepal toward victory. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundaries when needed was crucial in keeping the required run rate in check. Bhurtel, on the other hand, provided the perfect foil with his aggressive strokeplay, allowing Nepal to stay ahead of the required rate.
Kusal Malla Seals the Victory
After Bhurtel’s departure, Kusal Malla took charge of finishing the game. His quickfire 44 off 30 balls ensured that Nepal chased down the target comfortably. Malla’s innings featured several boundaries, putting additional pressure on the USA bowlers, who were already struggling to find breakthroughs.
Malla’s calm and aggressive approach in the latter stages of the innings allowed Nepal to seal the game with 9 balls to spare, bringing an end to the USA’s hopes of salvaging a win in the series.
FAQs
Nepal won the 3rd T20I by 8 wickets, securing a 3-0 series whitewash over the USA.
Captain Aasif Sheikh top-scored for Nepal with 50 runs off 39 balls.
The USA posted a total of 156/5, with Saiteja Mukkamalla (68) and Milind Kumar (43*) being the standout performers, but it wasn’t enough to stop Nepal.
Sompal Kami was the star bowler for Nepal, taking 3 wickets for 27 runs. Lalit Rajbanshi and Rijan Dhakal also bowled economically, each taking 1 wicket for 23 runs.
Nepal completed a 3-0 whitewash over the USA in the T20I series.
Conclusion
Nepal’s commanding performance in the 3rd T20I against the USA demonstrated their superiority throughout the series. With a brilliant mix of batting, bowling, and fielding, the Nepalese team completed a historic whitewash, winning the series 3-0. Aasif Sheikh’s leadership with the bat, combined with Sompal Kami’s bowling masterclass, proved too much for the USA to handle.
For the USA, there are positives to take from individual performances, such as Mukkamalla’s consistent form, but they will need to regroup and address key issues in both batting and bowling if they hope to compete at a higher level. For Nepal, this series win is a massive confidence booster, as they continue to build momentum and showcase their talent on the international stage.
