NewKerala.com

Airee's Blitz Powers Nepal to Historic T20 World Cup Win Over Scotland

Nepal secured a historic first T20 World Cup victory by defeating Scotland by seven wickets in a thrilling chase at the Wankhede Stadium. The match turned on Kushal Airee's explosive, unbeaten 23-ball half-century, which powered Nepal to 75 runs in the final six overs. Scotland captain Richie Berrington praised Airee's innings for shifting the game's momentum, while acknowledging his team's competitive total of 170. Despite the loss, Berrington expressed pride in his team's ability to compete at the global level and optimism for the future in an expanded 20-team World Cup.

Key Points: Nepal's Historic T20 Win: Airee's 50* Stuns Scotland

  • Airee's match-winning 50* off 23 balls
  • Nepal's 75-run blitz in final 6 overs
  • Scotland's competitive 170/7 total
  • Nepal's maiden T20 World Cup victory
2 min read

T20 World Cup: Full credit to Airee, he changed the momentum of the game, says Scotland captain Berrington

Nepal secures its first T20 World Cup victory as Airee's 23-ball 50* changes the game's momentum against Scotland in a thrilling chase.

"Full credit to Airee, he's changed the momentum of the game. - Richie Berrington"

Mumbai, Feb 17

Scotland captain Richie Berrington reflected on a hard-fought contest against Nepal, praising the electric atmosphere and acknowledging the decisive impact of Airee's game-changing innings as they lost by seven wickets at the Wankhede Stadium.

Airee hammered an unbeaten 50 off 23 balls, smashing four boundaries and three maximums and with vital contributions from Kushal Bhurtel (43 off 35), Aasif Sheikh (33 off 27) and Kushal Jha (24 not out off 17), helped Nepal race to a memorable victory in their final league match.

"The atmosphere was incredible, always knew it would be a tough game against Nepal, with the crowd behind them. But full credit to Airee, he's changed the momentum of the game. 170 was competitive, they bowled extremely well but we left a few out there," saod Scotland captain Ricchie Berrington.

Nepal fought back in the last five overs in both innings. They first applied the brakes on Scotland with the ball when the European team was looking like cruising to a massive total and restricted them to 170/7. Then with the bat, they came back roaring from 98/3 in the 14th over, hammering 75 runs in the last six overs with Airee smashing four fours and three sixes while Jha struck one four and two sixes when it mattered the most as Nepal reached 173/3 in 19.2 overs to secure their maiden T20 World Cup win.

While noting that Scotland's total of 170 was competitive and that his bowlers performed admirably, Berrington admitted there was lingering frustration over missed opportunities. Despite falling short, he applauded the team's resilience, pride in competing strongly at this level, and optimism about building on their performances in a highly competitive 20-team World Cup.

"Took one innings to change the game and get the result for Nepal. We've shown once again we can compete at this level, but there's some frustration there. We could have won a few more, but a lot to take forward as a team. Our preparation was very different to other teams but we embraced that. Would have liked a few more wins but pleased with some of the performances. It's been great that this has been a 20-team World Cup, shows more exposure and all these teams will only get stronger. Got to take every opportunity in front of us."

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Berrington is gracious in defeat. It's true, one innings can change everything in T20. Scotland fought well, but Nepal's finishing was just spectacular. These close games are what make the World Cup so exciting!
R
Rohit P
As an Indian cricket fan, I love seeing the passion from Nepal. Their team plays with so much heart. Airee was on fire! But honestly, Scotland's total of 170 was defendable. Their death bowling just crumbled at the wrong time. A lesson for all teams.
S
Sarah B
Watching from the US, this is fantastic for the global game. More teams competing at a high level only makes cricket better. Kudos to both teams for a thrilling match.
V
Vikram M
Berrington's point about different preparation is key. Associate nations don't get the same resources, yet they produce such competitive cricket. The ICC needs to ensure more regular matches and funding for them. This win will do wonders for cricket in Nepal.
K
Kavya N
A bit of respectful criticism for Scotland: they seem to struggle closing out games. They had Nepal at 98/3. That's the moment you need your experienced bowlers to step up. Still, a great tournament for them overall. The future is bright for both teams!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50