West Indies crushed Nepal by 10 wickets in the third T20I of the three-match series at Sharjah. A fiery spell from Ramon Simmonds (4/15 in 3 overs) and Jediah Blades (2/20 in 3.5 overs) helped West Indies bowl out Nepal inside 20 overs. Nepal managed 122 runs in 19.5 overs. Kushal Bhurtel was Nepal’s top scorer.
While chasing, West Indies cruised to the target with an unbeaten half-century from Amir Jangoo and a fiery knock by Ackeem Auguste. Despite losing the third T20I, Nepal won the series 2-1.
Nepal’s cautious start
Nepal began carefully, with Kushal Malla and Kushal Bhurtel ensuring early control. Bhurtel even launched Kyle Mayers onto the roof in the third over. The first signs of trouble came when Akeal Hosein extracted turn and bounce. He beat Bhurtel’s sweep once, then saw the next ball disappear for six over square leg. Still, Nepal struggled for free-flowing strokeplay.
Their powerplay produced 37 runs but also included 20 dot balls, a problem only partly eased by a few boundaries and sixes.
West Indies spinners take charge
Soon after the powerplay, Jason Holder struck with his bounce and height. Malla survived an early scare but fell at the end of the over. Hosein then kept troubling batters with sharp turn. Bhurtel and captain Rohit Paudel tried to break the shackles, but the risks backfired.
Paudel escaped an lbw due to Hosein’s no-ball, while Bhurtel fell to a reverse sweep caught at slip. Bhurtel looked frustrated, believing the ball had brushed only his forearm.
Simmonds seals the middle overs
When Simmonds entered, Nepal were already under pressure. His bowling lengths, either very short or full, brought him quick rewards. Paudel gloved a pull to the keeper, while Aarif Sheikh cut one to deep third. In between, Gulsan Jha was run out after backing up too far.
Despite West Indies dropping chances, Nepal slumped to 62 for 5 in the middle overs. Simmonds and Matthew Forde Blades then shared wickets at the death. A few late hits from Lokesh Bam and Sundeep Jora pushed Nepal to 122 all out.
Jangoo and Auguste dominate chase
West Indies made their intent clear from the first over. Auguste struck a six onto the roof to match Bhurtel’s earlier effort. Karan KC’s pace and loose lines were punished, and the openers kept peppering the leg side. With boundaries flowing, West Indies cruised to 47 in the powerplay.
Paudel then dropped a simple catch at cover when Auguste was on 29, ending Nepal’s faint hopes of a comeback. Things slipped further after Mohammad Aadil Alam conceded 18 runs in one over.
Jangoo’s confidence shone when he lost grip with his bottom hand yet still cleared long-off. Soon, he switched to top gear, smashing five sixes in his last nine balls. His back-to-back sixes off Paudel took him to a 38-ball half-century. Auguste played a steady supporting role as West Indies crossed the line with 46 balls remaining.
Brief Scorecard
Nepal arrived in Sharjah dreaming of a historic whitewash. But West Indies, desperate to avoid a clean sweep, produced their most complete performance of the series. The win, however, does not overshadow Nepal’s achievement of sealing their maiden series triumph against a Full Member nation.
One of West Indies’ key changes, Ramon Simmonds, turned into the match-winner with a three-wicket spell. The visitors also made the right decision to bowl first on a slow pitch that provided steady sideways movement. Their openers, Amir Jangoo and Ackeem Auguste, then took charge and delivered West Indies’ first-ever 10-wicket win. Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!