USA dominates Nepal by 44 Runs in ICC women’s T20I challenge trophy opener

KIGALI — Nepal’s journey in the inaugural ICC Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy began on a disappointing note today as the United States secured a comfortable 44-run victory at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium. Despite a spirited effort from the Nepalese bowlers, a lackluster batting performance saw the team fall well short of the 124-run target.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, the USA posted a respectable 123/6 in their 20 overs. The American innings was anchored by a resilient performance from Puja Ganesh, who top-scored with 47 runs off 49 balls. Her calculated approach provided the foundation for more aggressive cameos from Gargi Bhogle, who struck an entertaining 34 off 27 balls, and Chetna Pagyadala, who added 30. For her match-defining knock, Puja Ganesh was named the Player of the Match.

Nepal’s bowling attack, led by Manisha Upadhyaya, managed to keep the run rate under control for much of the innings. Upadhyaya was the most effective bowler, returning figures of 2 for 18 in her four overs. She was well-supported by the disciplined Kabita Kunwar, who conceded just 17 runs while taking a wicket, and Riya Sharma, who also claimed a scalp. However, late-innings boundaries from the Americans pushed the total beyond Nepal’s eventual reach.

The chase proved to be a struggle from the outset for the Nepalese batters. The team never found their rhythm against a clinical American bowling unit, losing wickets at regular intervals and finishing on 79/9 after 20 overs. Bindu Rawal provided the only significant resistance, scoring 27 runs from 45 deliveries. Kabita Joshi was the only other player to reach double figures with 11 runs, as USA’s Mahi Madhavan and Tarannum Chopra decimated the middle order with two wickets apiece.

Nepal will need to regroup quickly as they face a quick turnaround. Their second match of the five-nation tournament is scheduled for tomorrow, April 19, against Italy Women. The team will be looking to sharpen their top-order batting to keep their hopes alive in the round-robin standings.