Perhaps no player would be happier than Sita Rana Magar and Rubina Chhetry if Nepal finish as one of the top four teams of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier at home and book a ticket to England and Wales.

Magar and Chhetry are two of the most experienced players in the Nepali squad. Magar was part of Nepal’s first women’s cricket team formed in 2007, while Chhetry got to don the national jersey a couple of years later, in 2009.

And their experience was what made Nepal’s second match of the Qualifier, against the Netherlands at the TU International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, a memorable one, despite the hosts finishing on the losing side.

The Dutch side won the toss and elected to bat first. Knocks from the Dutch skipper Babette de Leede (49 off 47) and Sterre Kalis (30 off 34) saw the visitors finish the first inning at 140/5. Chhetry bagged two wickets, while Somu Bist, Puja Mahato and Riya Sharma picked one each for Nepal.

In turn, Nepal’s openers Bindu Rawal and Samjhana Khadka gave a decent start for the team, with 21 runs in the first three overs. However, in the fourth over, Rawal (18 off 15) got out in the first ball, and Khadka (14 off 8) departed in the second–to-last ball of the same over after smashing three consecutive boundaries.

The other three batters—Mahato, skipper Indu Barma and Kajal Shrestha—then departed without scoring in double figures. And it was the ones with the most experience in Nepali cricket who stood up in front of a small, but a loud, crowd at the home of Nepali cricket.

Chhetry kept her calm and was scoring runs slowly. She saw Kabita Joshi (13 off 18) and Kabita Kunwar (1 off 3) depart before her long-time teammate Magar joined in at nine.

At 97/7 in 17 overs, Nepal were in trouble. The scene suggested the hosts were out of the chase. But Magar, with a four, six, four and four in the last four deliveries of the 18th over, brought Nepal back to the chase.

Nepal required 13 runs from the last over. But Magar (27 off 12) and Chhetry (37 off 32) could only manage 10, and Nepal lost by two runs.

Chhetry, who got a four in the last delivery, when Nepal needed a six to tie the match, got on her knees after the game ended. Magar, who went to console Chhetry, also got on her knees as she too was devastated. But the fight the two experienced players put on has ensured Nepal will move on to their next game, against Zimbabwe on Saturday, with their head held high.

“The team has improved a lot compared to the previous times,” Chhetry said in the post-match conference. “We still have a chance to qualify for the next stage, and keep the hope for the World Cup alive. And we will utilise the remaining games to end the tournament in our favour.”

1,000 runs for Chhetry

While Chhetry’s 37 off 32 could not see Nepal win, it did get enlisted as a historic milestone in Nepali cricket. Chhetry became only the second Nepali women cricketer to cross 1,000 runs in T20Is.

Chhetry has played 81 T20Is for Nepal. She is the first and the only Nepali woman cricketer to score a T20I ton. Her 118 not out came against the Maldives during the ACC Women’s Premier Cup in Bangi, Malaysia, on February 13, 2024.

Chhetry now has 1,005 runs for Nepal. She follows Nepali skipper Barma, who has 1,053 runs in 80 matches.

Further, Chhetry, the third-most wicket-taker for Nepal, is also close to 50 T20I wickets. An all-rounder, she has 47 wickets in 69 innings.

Meanwhile, the only other Nepali player closest to reaching the 1,000-run milestone in T20I is Magar. Magar is now only eight runs away from the 1,000-run mark. She has 992 runs in 65 matches (61 innings) for Nepal in T20Is.

Bangladesh, Scotland and Ireland were the other teams that registered a win on Thursday. Bangladesh defeated Namibia by 80 runs, Scotland beat Zimbabwe by five wickets, and Ireland beat the USA by 16 runs.