Nepal earn historic win against Scotland
Dipendra Singh Airee struck a commanding half century in Mumbai to steer Nepal to victory and secure their first T20 World Cup win since 2014. It was their third success overall in the tournament, the previous two arriving in their debut campaign 12 years ago.
Airee’s innings followed a sharp Scotland revival led by Michael Leask. Nepal’s openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh added 74 in 9.1 overs before Leask induced a miscued stroke from Bhurtel, who fell for 43. Leask removed Sheikh with 94 on the board and later dismissed captain Rohit Paudel to tighten Scotland’s grip.
Scotland recovered from the loss of George Munsey for 27 and advanced to 1/131 after 15 overs. Michael Jones drove the surge with 71 from 45 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.
Sandeep Lamichhane and Karan KC applied pressure, yet it was Kami who shifted the balance. He bowled Jones in the 16th over and held a return catch to remove Brandon McMullen for 25. Scotland managed 39 runs in the final five overs while losing six wickets. Kami closed with three for 25 from four overs.
Defending champions see off Dutch pursuit
In Ahmedabad, India posted 193 for six against Netherlands after choosing to bat. Abhishek Sharma recorded his third duck in as many matches, bowled by Aryan Dutt. Dutt also dismissed Ishan Kishan for 18 as India reached 2/51 at the end of the powerplay.
Roelof van der Merwe, 41, completed a diving catch at long off to end Tilak Varma’s 31 and break his stand with Suryakumar Yadav. India accelerated in the middle overs. Yadav struck 34, while Shivam Dube dominated with 66 from 31 balls, hitting six sixes and four fours. Hardik Pandya made 30 from 21 and passed 6000 runs in T20 cricket. India scored 75 in the final five overs.
Netherlands began steadily in pursuit of 194. Max O Dowd scored 20 before Varun Chakaravarthy intervened. Michael Levitt fell to Pandya in the eighth over. Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann added 53 from 26 balls, but Ackermann holed out to Chakaravarthy.
The spinner dismissed Aryan Dutt with a googly and de Leede soon followed. Jasprit Bumrah bowled Scott Edwards with a full delivery. Reduced to 6/125 after 16 overs, Netherlands required acceleration. Zach Lion Cachet and Noah Croes countered with boundaries, Croes reducing the equation to 28 from the final over.
Dube conceded few runs and removed Lion Cachet to complete a 17 run win as India finished the group stage unbeaten.
Pakistan clinch Super 8 berth
Pakistan secured the final Super Eight place with a 102 run victory over Namibia at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Sahibzada Farhan struck an unbeaten 100 from 58 balls after Pakistan elected to bat, guiding them to 3/199. Namibia were dismissed for 97.
Namibia opened with 32 before Salman Mirza bowled Jan Frylinck. Spin restricted the chase. Louren Steenkamp scored 23 and Alexander Volschenk 20, the only batters to pass double figures. Mohammad Nawaz returned one for 22, Shadab Khan three for 19 and Usman Tariq 4/16.
Pakistan had reached 47 for one in the powerplay. Salman Agha launched leg spinner Willem Myburgh for 22 in the ninth over, striking a straight six before Farhan added two successive sixes.
Agha and Khawaja Nafay fell in quick succession, yet Farhan maintained control, reaching his second fifty from 20 balls. It was his first T20 international hundred and the second by a Pakistan batter in a men’s T20 World Cup.
Afghanistan end tournament on a high
Afghanistan compiled 95 from 56 balls through Ibrahim Zadran against Canada. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 30 before Afghanistan slipped to 2/49 in the powerplay. Zadran and Sediqullah Atal, who made 44, added 95. Zadran struck seven fours and five sixes, recording the highest individual score by an Afghanistan player in this edition. Jaskarandeep Singh took 3/52.
Canada began brightly through Yuvraj Samra and Dilpreet Bajwa. Bajwa was bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Navneet Dhaliwal departed for a five ball duck. Mohammad Nabi removed Samra for 17 and Nicholas Kirton in the eighth over. Ziaur Rahman held a catch to dismiss Shreyas Movva. Harsh Thaker scored 30 before Nabi claimed his fourth wicket. Canada were 105 for eight after 18.1 overs and Afghanistan won by 82 runs.
Windies undefeated with Italy win
West Indies defeated Italy by 42 runs in Kolkata to remain unbeaten in the group stage. Italy restricted West Indies to 6/165, yet were bowled out for 123 in 18 overs. Benjamin Manenti top scored with 26.
Shamar Joseph claimed four for 30. Matthew Forde took 3/19 after removing Justin Mosca. Shai Hope anchored the innings with 75 from 46 balls, including six fours and four sixes.
Ali Hasan dismissed Brandon King. Crishan Kalugamage bowled Hope and returned the best figures for Italy, while Manenti added 2/37.
