An allround performance from Sagar Pun Nepal’s 20-run win over Gymkhana  Cricket Club here in a friendly Twenty20 game on Thursday.

The victory was second in as many days for the touring Nepali national  team, who are in London as part of their preparation for the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Championship matches against the hosts Netherlands.  Nepal had defeated Free Forester by 129 runs in a 40-over match on  Wednesday.

The WCL games are scheduled for August 13 and 15. Nepal are currently in  the sixth position with four points in the eight-team standings with the  Netherlands on top with 10 points. The tournament offers 2018 ICC World  Cup Qualifiers for the top four teams. Apart from two more friendly games,  Nepal will also play the Marylebone Cricket Club on July 19 before  embarking on the WCL campaign.

“This is a preparation tour for the Netherlands games and I am happy that  our players are finding their forms in the two matches we have played so far,”  said Nepal skipper Khadka. “I just hope all the players will be in fine nick at the end of the England tour,” added the Nepal skipper.

Put into bat first, Nepal scored 162-7 in their allotted 20 overs before  dismissing Gymkhana for 142 in the last ball of their innings. A half  century from Sagar Pun (56) and a 38-run cameo from opener Gyanendra  Malla set the tone for the Nepali total. Pun struck four boundaries and a  six in his 48-ball knock, while Malla hit five boundaries in his 20-ball  innings. Raju Rijal remained unbeaten on 24 off 11 balls. Puneet K Mehra  and Aditya Archiya claimed three wickets each for the hosts.

In reply, only Puneet Mehra put on a decent fight, as the No 5 batsman  slammed a fiery 28-ball 47. Pun, Bikram Sob, Karan KC and Shakti Gauchan  claimed two wickets each for Nepal to derail the Gymkhana run-chase.  

Summary

Nepal 162-7 in 20 overs (S Pun 56, G Malla 38; P Mehra 3-21, A Archiya 3-25) beat Gymkhana Cricket Club 142-10 in 20 overs (P Mehra 47, S Ahmadzai 25; B Sob 2-31, Karan KC 2-17, S Gauchan 2-22, S Pun 2-18) by 20 runs