The Sharjah stadium witnessed jubilant celebrations as Nepal secured a historic T20I series victory against the West Indies. The 90-run win not only gave Nepal an unassailable 2-0 series lead but also marked a significant display of dominance by an Associate nation against a Full Member in T20 history.
Batting first, Nepal posted a competitive 173 for 6, propelled by a strong 100-run opening partnership between Aasif Sheikh (68* off 47) and Sundeep Jora (63 off 39). Despite a slow start in the initial overs, the pair accelerated in the latter half of their innings, hitting nine sixes between them. While Akeal Hosein bowled well for the West Indies, taking 2 wickets for 21 runs, and momentarily providing hope, the Caribbean team struggled to gain momentum.
In their chase, the West Indies crumbled under Nepal’s precise bowling and impressive fielding. Reduced to 16 for 2 during the powerplay, they never recovered. Jason Holder’s 21 was the only notable innings as the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Mohammad Aadil Alam, playing his first match for Nepal since 2022, impressed with the ball, claiming 4 wickets for 24 runs. Kushal Bhurtel contributed three wickets, complementing his previous fielding heroics, while Gulsan Jha took two remarkable catches.
The West Indies were eventually dismissed for a mere 83, their lowest score ever against an Associate side and their sixth-lowest T20I total. This defeat also represents the worst loss for a Full Member against an Associate team, highlighting Nepal’s progress as they gear up for the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers. Notably, Nepal achieved this feat without their star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who was unavailable for the series due to personal reasons.
