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Kathmandu Wednesday January 23, 2002 Magh 10, 2058.
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Nepali colts upset Pakistan
By Rajendra Gyawali
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Jan 22 :Inspired
by Bardan Chalise’s fine all-round performance, Nepal pulled a stunning 30-run upset
victory over Pakistan in their second Group C outing under the U-19 World Cup on Tuesday.
Nepal, who put up a brave effort only to lose by
32 runs against England on Monday, defended a moderate total of 151, bringing Pakistan to
books for 121 in 45.5 overs.
Chalise, after leading Nepal scoring list with
invaluable 42 runs, came back to take a wicket when Pakistan started their chase. He also
effected a run-out and held a catch to claim man of the match.
Nepal, put into bat by Pakistan captain Salman
Butt, was bowled out for 151 runs in 48.5 overs.
Opening pair Kanishka Chaugain and Yashwant
Subedi put on 19 runs before the latter was bowled in the 9th over while trying to
negotiate Umer Gul’s express delivery. Chaugain was next to follow at 15 after adding
12 runs with Chalise.
Even as Pakistan spin-duo Kamran Sajid and
Junaid Zia created problems, Chalise showed a lot of character in the middle. He shared
two handy partnerships, 35 runs with Shakti Gauchan (12) for the third wicket and 33 runs
with Manjit Shrestha (17) for the sixth that allowed Nepal to set up a reasonable score.
Sajid and Zia both returned with four wickets
each for Pakistan while opening bowler Umer Gul accounted for two wickets.
But what looked like a moderate total was turned
into a winning one as Pakistan succumbed to Nepal’s disciplined bowling and tight
fielding. Nepali slow bowlers looked in ominous form, especially Shakti Gauchan and Sanjam
Regmi bamboozled Pakistan batsmen to steer Nepal to the unlikely victory.
Gauchan took 3-19 off his 10 overs keeping three
maidens while Regmi returned a figure of 3-27 from his 9.3 overs. Captain Binod Das and
Lakhpa Lama also played their part in Pakistan’s downfall, claiming a wicket apiece.
"We took to the field with great team
spirit that guided us to this win," Binod Das revealed the secret behind Nepal’s
surprise victory over Pakistan. "Having set up a moderate victory target of 152 runs,
we were determined not to concede an easy win to the opposition."
Nepali team coach Roy Dias, while calling it a
historic achievement, urged his side not to get carried away. Nepal plays its last league
match against Papua New Guinea on Friday. A win in that match would put Nepal into
formidable position in the Group C.
"The match against Papua New Guinea holds
the key," Dias said.
Pakistan, who defeated Papua New Guinea in its
opening match, now meets England on Friday. English win in that match, given that Nepal
beats Papua New Guinea, would ensure Nepal’s place in the super league.
After losing a couple of early wickets, Asim
Munir who topscored with 34 runs raised Pakistan hopes at 84-3. But a couple of more
wickets including that of Munir and Khaqan Arsal (24) put the Pakistanis out of contest.
And when Regmi forced the last Pakistani batsman
Umer Gal to hole out a catch, a group of Nepali fans entered the ground carrying the
Nepali national flag. "We’re proud of you," lauded Chandra Rai, a
post-graduate student at Lincoln University.
Another Nepal fan, Gill Lehmann, who heads
Nepal-New Zealand Friendship Society, joins the party: "We’d like to be part of
the Nepali victory," she said.
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