DUBAI – West Indies cricket was left reeling on Saturday after suffering a humbling 19-run defeat to rank outsiders Nepal in the opening T20 International of the Unity Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Tasked with chasing a modest 149 for victory, the Caribbean side once again saw their batting collapse under pressure. Only Navin Bidaisee offered real resistance with a topscore of 22, as the Windies limped to 129 for nine from their 20 overs. The defeat handed Nepal their first-ever victory against a Full Member nation and a priceless 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Paudel’s dedication after historic win
Nepal’s captain and Player-of-the-Match, Rohit Paudel, described the result as both monumental and deeply personal. His 38 anchored the innings, before his bowlers dismantled the West Indies batting.
“I think it feels great, especially after a long wait to beat a Test-playing country,” Paudel said. “It finally came in a historic series where we hosted it in the UAE. I want to dedicate this Man-of-the-Match award to the martyrs who lost their lives in the Gen-Z protest in Nepal. The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, I think that would be great.”
Holder and Bidaisee restrict Nepal
Earlier, Jason Holder and Navin Bidaisee had combined to limit Nepal to 148 for eight after the Windies opted to field. Holder snatched 4-20 while Bidaisee bagged 3-29, as Nepal recovered from 12 for two to post a competitive total.
Paudel and Kushal Malla (30) steadied the innings in a 58-run stand before both fell in quick succession. Gulshan Jha (22) and Dipendra Singh Airee (17) chipped in late runs that ultimately proved vital.
Windies collapse under pressure
In reply, the West Indies began brightly when Kyle Mayers drove the first ball of the innings to the boundary. But his joy was short-lived—run out brilliantly by Kushal Bhurtel’s direct hit from extra cover moments later.
Debutant Ackeem Auguste struck a brisk 15 before falling to Nandan Yadav, sparking a devastating collapse. From a promising 32 for one, the Windies slumped to 76 for six in the 15th over.
Paudel himself snared Jewel Andrew for five, Lalit Rajbanshi deceived Amir Jangoo (19), Keacy Carty was needlessly run out for 16, and Holder perished cheaply to Bhurtel.
Though Fabian Allen (19), captain Akeal Hosein (18 off nine) and Bidaisee fought to revive the innings, the damage was already done. Nepal’s bowlers and fielders held their nerve to script one of the greatest moments in their cricketing history.
What comes next
The second T20I will be contested on Monday, with the West Indies under intense pressure to avoid an embarrassing series defeat and Nepal seeking to extend their fairytale.
