ICC Men's T20 WC26: West Indies Make Light Work Of Nepal, Chase Down 134 In 15 Overs

Mumbai: West Indies made shortwork of Nepal to record a breezy nine-wicket victory in their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Group C match, at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Sunday.

Chasing a mere 134 for victory, the Windies were hardly tested as they coasted home in 15.2 overs topping the target at 134/1. Skipper Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer were unbeaten on 61 and 46 respectively to execute the formalities in style.

With the win, West Indies have almost assured themselves of a place in the Super Eights. Holder was declared the Player-of-the-Match for his brilliant bowling figures of 4/27. 

West Indies began in typical fashion in pursuit of 134 as Brandon King and Shai Hope went about their business in clinical fashion.

King slammed four boundaries before getting out for 22 as they reached 43/1 after the powerplay.

Nepal were put under pressure straightaway by the West Indies through Akeal Hosein’s spin in the first over as he bowled Kushal Bhurtel for one on the fifth ball of the over.

They suffered another jolt when skipper Rohit Paudel was trapped leg before by Matthew Forde for just five runs as they were in deep trouble at 17/2 in 3.1 overs.

Aasif Sheikh was sent packing by Jason Holder when he played a flick shot half-heartedly that was snapped up by Shimron Hetmyer at long leg as Nepal slipped to 17/3.

And when Aarif Sheikh was dismissed by Holder, things got worse for Nepal as they were slipping to 23/4 and staring down the barrell.

At the 10-over mark, Nepal were at 42/4 and struggling to get going with Dipendra Singh Airee and Lokesh Bam in the middle.

West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph were applying pressure on Nepal although the former went for nine runs in his first over.

Forde was the pick of the West Indian bowlers after he returned figures of 1/10 in his allotted four overs with an economy of just 2.50.

Bam was the fifth wicket to go for Nepal as he was dismissed by Joseph and caught by skipper Shai Hope.

In the 12^th over, Airee decided to take things into his own hands slamming a massive six off Motie to give the Nepali fans something to cheer for on what was turning out to be a damp squib.

Roston Chase struck in the second over after he was introduced cleaning up Gulsan Jha for 11 as Nepal hurtled to 73/6 in 15 overs.

Airee was turning out to be the saving grace for Nepal as he cracked three fours and a six to reach 40 off 40 balls while Nepal reached 92/6 in 17 overs.

Sompal Kami went berserk in the 17^th and 18^th overs as he smashed four boundaries including three consecutive fours in the 18^th over.

Airee brought up his fifty in the 19^th over off Joseph with a six over third man boundary as Nepal headed towards a total that would give them something to fight with.

He smashed another maximum off the last ball of the over as 18 runs came off the 19^th over with Joseph taken to the cleaners by Airee.

Airee was out finally for 58 off the second ball of Nepal’s 20^th over holing out at mid-off to Rovman Powell off Holder’s bowling.

Karan KC was the eighth wicket to fall as Nepal finished with 133/8 in 20 overs setting West Indies a target of 134 to win and edge closer to a place in the Super Eights.