Nepal suffered a 28-run defeat against the West Indies A in the fourth T20, handing the visitors an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday.

Chasing a 210-run target, the Rhinos could only manage 181 from their 20 overs, losing all wickets.

Coach Monty Desai fielded a full-strength squad that will travel to the West Indies and the United States to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next month. The 15-man squad was announced on Wednesday evening, hours after Nepal lost their third T20 by 76 runs.

Desai has opted for experienced players for Nepal’s only second World Cup campaign after heavily experimenting many players in the five month’s build-up.

But, it seems the Nepali batsmen have not learned at all from their mistakes, save for Rohit Paudel who is the only in-form player in Nepal’s World Cup squad.

Wicketkeeper batsman Aasif Sheikh started for the first time in the series, and Kushal Bhurtel joined him, as usual, to open the innings.

Since his 40-ball knock against Hong Kong during the ACC Men’s T20 Premier Cup in Oman, Sheikh had not managed to score in double digits in his previous four innings and his poor run of form continued as he was bowled out by Matthew Forde (3-25) in the second delivery of the first over.

Bhurtel, one of the only three Nepali batters after Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee to have crossed the 1000-run mark in men’s T20I, is experiencing the worst days of his career—three consecutive ducks in Oman, 16 runs against West Indies A in the second T20.

After sitting on the bench for the third T20, Bhurtel returned to the starting XI but never looked confident and was dismissed by Fabian Allen (2-34) for one run after facing just five deliveries in the 4.1 overs.

Kushal Malla has also failed to do much. He crashed a four off Allen but was miscued again and caught by West Indies A captain Roston Chase in the 4.5 overs.

Paudel, who scored a century in the first T20 and 71 not out in the second T20, continued his impressive run blasting 82 runs from 47 balls, his resilient knock featured seven fours and five sixes. He was rested for the third T20.

Paudel added 40 runs with Sundeep Jora for the fourth wicket before Hayden Walsh (3-26) got rid of Jora in the 9.2 overs.

Paudel kept on fighting, adding another 54 runs with Airee before Walsh ended his knock in the 14th over.

Airee and Gulsah Jha then both fell to Forde after making 19 runs each and Sompal Kami added 10, before Abinash Bohara played a brisk 8-ball 17.

Earlier, West Indies A opted to bat first and posted 209-3 from their 20 overs, thanks to half centuries from Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher.

The tourists had a shaky start to their innings when Pratis GC sent back opener Alick Athanaze for five in the second over.

But Charles and Fletcher put on a 92-run stand to lay for foundation for a big total.

Charles played an aggressive 30-ball 58 before Bhurtel had him caught by Airee in the 9.6 overs. Charles hit three boundaries and six maximums.

Bhurtel then dispatched Keacy Carty for four in the 14th over but Fletcher and Allen added 83 runs for the fifth wicket.

Despite his struggles with the bat, Bhurtel has positives in the bowling unit. He had also taken 2-22 in the second T20.

Fletcher was unbeaten on 84 runs off 54 balls. His innings featured nine fours and six fours.

Allen played an unconquered 19-ball 33.

Nepal had defeated the West Indies A by four wickets in the first T20, but had suffered 10-run defeat in the second T20 and 76-run defeat in the third T20.

The fifth T20 will take place on Saturday.