Binod Bhandari hit a half-century and Pawan Sarraf took three wickets to help Nepal defeat Ontario Cricket Club by 69 runs in the practice match at King City, in Ontario, Canada on Friday.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 220-8 total in the allotted fifty overs at the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground. Bhandari smashed eight boundaries in his 59-ball 57 and shared a 63-run partnership with Bashir Ahamad (24) for the seventh wicket in just 8.5 overs.

Opener Aasif Sheikh scored 42 runs off 75 balls in his 50-run stand with Dev Khanal (27) for the second wicket after Aasif’s opening partner Kushal Bhurtel was out cheaply for 13, caught by Mihir Patel off Sheel Patel.

After Khanal fell in the 23.1 overs, caught by Keenan Tinto off Jade Padmore, Nepal’s batting collapsed.

Darshil sent Rohit Paudel for just 2 and Ammar Khalid ran out Aasif before Sheel struck twice removing Dipendra Singh Airee (19) and Aarif Sheikh (19) to limit Nepal 146-6 after the 40th over.

But Bhandari held nerve late in the innings to guide Nepal to a respectable total. Adil Alam was not out for 10 runs.

Sheel returned the match figures of 30-3 in his 10-over spell.

In reply, Ontario were bundled for 151 in 42.5 overs after Aarif and Airee combined to wreck the top order as the hosts were 92-4 after the 31st over.

Opener Jash Shah (20) fell in the 13.3 overs, caught by Khanal off Aarif, after sharing a 43-run stand with Riyazkhan Pathan (36), also caught by Mohamad Aadil Alam off Airee.

Shiekh then trapped Mihir Patel (4) lbw before Airee caught and bowled Ramanvir for just 2.

Naresh Bahadur Budhayer assisted 29 runs facing 48 balls that featured two fours and a six but Sarraf had him caught behind in the fifth delivery of the 35th over.

Sarraf then took two more wickets quickly, eliminating Padmore (4) and putting break to a fight back from Nicholas Manohar, who had scored 25 runs off 27 deliveries.

Kishor Mahato and Khanal then polished off the tail to give Nepal a good start in their Canada tour.

Nepal will next play Canada in a two-match fifty-over series on July 4 and 5, before heading to Scotland to participate in the Scotland Triangular Series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, set to begin on July 11.