The Nepali women’s cricket team lost to Hong Kong, China by two runs at the Women’s Day Cup, a quadrangular series in Uganda, on Monday.

Nepal were playing their third game of the series against Hong Kong at Entebbe Cricket Oval; they lost the first game to Namibia on Saturday, while defeating Uganda, the hosts, on Sunday.

Skipper Indu Barma won the toss and elected to field first. Nepal’s bowling line-up was able to restrict Hong Kong to 100/7; Barma and Ishwari Bist bagged two wickets each while Puja Mahato and Rachana Kumari Chaudhary claimed one each.

Opener Natasha Miles and in-at-three Mariko Hill were the biggest headaches for Nepali bowlers. The duo contributed 35 off 42 and 21 off 26, respectively.

Furthermore, Hill did not stop with the bat; she kept troubling Nepal with the ball as well. Nepal were in the chase until Barma was at the crease; however, Hill struck her out for leg before in the final ball of the 19th over.

Barma, for whom Kabita Joshi and Rubina Chhetri sacrificed themselves in run outs, took Nepal as close as possible to the target, scoring 32 off 33. Barma was trapped leg before with Nepal needing 10 runs to win off the last over. But Roma Thapa (13 off 12) and Bist (2 off 2) could manage only 7.

“We tried our best to play good cricket but, unfortunately, we could not beat them,” Barma said at the post-match conference. “I think we need to be more confident and focused.”

For Nepal, it was the third loss against Hong Kong in their last seven encounters.

Nepal next face Namibia, Uganda and Hong Kong for the second time in the double round-robin tournament on March 12, 13 and 14, respectively.