Nepal captain Rohit Paudel asks for more matches against top teams after one-run loss vs South Africa at ICC T20 World Cup 2024

The Rohit Paudel-led Nepal came very close to defeating South Africa in St Vincent.

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel has urged for more matches against top teams and Full Member nations following his side’s close defeat at the hands of South Africa in their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 encounter.

On Friday night at the Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent, the Paudel-led unit fell just short of securing their first-ever victory over a Full Member nation in T20Is when they scored 114 in reply to South Africa’s 115.

Their spinners, Dipendra Singh Airee, Kushal Bhurtel, Sandeep Lamichhane and Kushal Malla, had done brilliantly to restrict the Proteas to 115. The spinners bowled 14 overs and conceded 75 runs while taking seven wickets.

In the chase, they were in a comfortable position when they needed 18 runs off 18 balls with seven wickets in hand. Tabraiz Shamsi brought South Africa back with a two-wicket over, followed by an 8-run over from Anrich Nortje.

With eight runs needed off the last over, Ottneil Baartman conceded six runs to win the game for the Proteas by only a single run. Nepal needed two runs off the last ball but they couldn’t take even a single as Gulshan Jha got run out while trying to steal a single from Quinton de Kock.

“If we get more exposure regularly…”: Rohit Paudel

Following the match, Paudel asked the ICC and Nepal cricket board to organise more matches of their team against the top teams. He feels that getting exposure to playing against other Full Member nations will help his team get better and learn quickly.

“I am very proud of the unit, especially the way we bowled and batted, I’m very proud of that. We were very close but a little far. In crunch moments we did well, but the way we fought was very good. If we get more exposure regularly then next games we will be on the other side [of the result],” Paudel said at the presentation.

Nepal, with two losses and one washout, are out of the tournament. They have a game against Bangladesh left.

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