Nepal failed to make it to the 2018 Women’s World Twenty20 Global Qualifiers despite returning with a 50-run victory over China in their final league match of the Asia Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday. In the match where Sabnam Rai became third Nepali woman to take a hat-trick in international cricket, Nepal made 102-8 in 20 overs before bundling out China for 52 runs in 18.2 overs. Nepal finished at the third spot with six points after United Arab Emirates (UAE) defeated Malaysia by 34 runs. Only the top two teams in the six-nation tournament were guaranteed a place in next year’s Global Qualifiers to be hosted by the Netherlands. 

Hosts Thailand, who beat Hong Kong by four wickets, finished at the top of the table with nine points ahead of second placed UAE - eight points. A Malaysia victory over UAE would have sealed Nepal a spot in Global Qualifiers. Hong Kong finished fourth with five points and behind them were Malaysia (two points) and winless China. Nepal will now play Hong Kong in the third place playoff on Monday.

The day belonged to Rai who starred with a hat-trick to emulate her current skipper Rubina Chhetri and teammate Karuna Bhandari. Rai dismissed Chinese opener Zhang Chan in the last ball of the second over and returned in the fourth over to get rid of Liu Xiaonan and Z Lyu. She had trapped all her victims leg before wicket.

Chhetri had become first Nepali cricketer to take hat-trick doing it against Singapore in the 2009 ACC Women’s Twenty20 Championship including a five-wicket haul in the final over of that game. Two years later, Bhandari achieved the feat against Thailand in the same tournament. Shakti Gauchan is the only male cricketer to have taken a hat-trick which he did against Denmark in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers.

After Rai jolted the Chinese chase, Nepal continued to pile pressure and struck at regular intervals. Han Lili top scored for China with 15 off 23 with two boundaries. C Zhou (10) was their next best scorer. Chhetri also picked up three wickets for Nepal, while Sita Rana Magar had two scalps. 

Earlier, Nepal were reduced to 20-2 losing opener Sita Rana Magar (nine) and Jyoti Pandey (four) early in the game. Kajol Shrestha and Nary Thapa (11) shared 28 runs for the third wicket to consolidate the innings. Shrestha made 16 off 26 with one boundary. However, Nepal’s middle order couldn’t capitalise and at one stage, they were reduced to 83-8. 

But skipper Chhetri made sure that her team crosses triple figures making a 14-ball 18 with two boundaries. Zhang Xiangxue took 3-19 for China.

 

 

Nepal 102-8 in 20 overs (R Chhetri 18 not out, K Shrestha 16; Z Xiangxue 3-19, H Lili 1-14) beat China 52 all out in 18.2 overs (H Lili 15, C Zhou 10; S Rai 3-7, R Chhetri 3-11) by 50 runs

Player-of-the-match: S Rai (NEP)

 

 

Team P W L N/R Points NRR

Thailand 5 4 0 1 9 3.187

UAE 5 4 1 0 8 0.669

Nepal 5 2 1 2 6 1.300

Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5 0.627

Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2 -1.346

China 5 0 5 0 0 -3.079