Nepal's campaign at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 ended in disappointment, as they failed to register a single win in the tournament. The Nepalese team struggled with their batting throughout, which proved to be their downfall.
In Group D, Nepal lost three out of their four matches, with their game against Sri Lanka ending in a no-result due to rain. While the Nepali bowlers put up a satisfactory performance, the batters looked out of sorts and unable to handle the pressure of international cricket.
Nepal's losses came against the Netherlands (by 6 wickets), South Africa (by 1 run), and Bangladesh (by 21 runs). Poor shot selection, lack of a strong team mentality, and an inability to cope with foreign conditions plagued the Nepalese batters.
Opener and wicketkeeper Asif Shaikh was the highest scorer for Nepal with 63 runs across three matches. Captain Rohit Paudel's 35 against the Netherlands and Asif's 42 against South Africa were the highest individual scores by a Nepali batter.
The bowling unit did reasonably well, with spinners accounting for 14 of Nepal's 18 wickets. Dipendra Singh Airey took 6 wickets, while Kushal Bhurtel claimed 4 scalps. Their efforts restricted formidable teams like South Africa and Bangladesh to modest totals, but the batters couldn't capitalize
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Nepal's narrow 1-run loss to South Africa, in particular, garnered attention worldwide. While their performance was praised, the batting let them down, and they couldn't chase down a modest target of 115.
Cricket analyst Ravi Timilsina attributed Nepal's batting struggles to their inexperience in foreign conditions and the inability to adapt their game accordingly.
Captain Rohit Paudel acknowledged the need for continuous exposure against top teams to improve Nepal's performance on the global stage.
Despite the winless campaign, Nepal can take heart from their bowling efforts and the enthusiastic support of their fans. However, addressing their batting frailties will be crucial as they look to progress in future ICC events.
