Dipendra Singh Airee aces see-saw chase as Nepal sign off with a win

Dipendra Singh Airee aces see-saw chase as Nepal sign off with a win

Nepal ended their T20 World Cup campaign with a win, defeating Scotland by seven wickets in their final Group C match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Dipendra Singh Airee was the star, scoring an unbeaten 50 to guide his team to victory.

Chasing 171, Nepal started cautiously, reaching 56/0 by the end of the PowerPlay—their highest PowerPlay score in T20 World Cup history. Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh provided a solid foundation before a collapse saw them slip from 74/0 to 98/3, triggered by off-spinner Michael Leask.

With 65 runs needed from 31 balls, the game turned in the 16th over when Airee smashed Leask for consecutive sixes, plundering 23 runs from the over. He continued his assault, reaching a 23-ball fifty and, with support from Gulsan Jha, sealed the win with four balls to spare.

Earlier, Scotland posted 170/7 after being asked to bat. Michael Jones top-scored with 71, but Sompal Kami’s 3/25 and effective death bowling from Nepal restricted the total. Despite the competitive score, Airee’s heroics ensured Nepal finished their campaign with a win, leaving both teams with one victory each in the group.

Brief Scores:
Scotland 170/7 in 20 overs (Michael Jones 71, Sompal Kami 3-25) lost to Nepal 171/3 in 19.2 overs (Dipendra Singh Airee 50*, Kushal Bhurtel 43, Michael Leask 3-30) by 7 wickets.