Nepal faced a setback in their inaugural match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, suffering a defeat to the Netherlands by 6 wickets. The Netherlands successfully chased Nepal's target of 107 runs, reaching 108/4 in 18.4 overs. Opener Max O'Dowd led the charge for the Netherlands with an impressive unbeaten knock of 54 runs off 48 balls, comprising 4 fours and 1 six. Supporting him were Vikramjit Singh with 22 runs, Sybrand Engelbrecht with 14, and Bas de Leede, who remained not out with 11 runs.
Nepal, batting first after losing the toss at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, could only manage to score 106 runs before being bowled out in 19.2 overs. Despite aiming for a strong start in their second T20 World Cup appearance in a decade, Nepal struggled against the Netherlands' formidable bowling attack. Captain Rohit Paudel emerged as the top-scorer for Nepal, contributing 35 runs off 37 balls, including 5 fours. However, the lack of significant partnerships hindered Nepal's progress.
In the lower order, Karan KC provided a brief spark with a quickfire 17 runs off 12 balls, featuring 2 sixes. Gulsan Jha and Anil Shah also made notable contributions with 11 runs each. However, the Netherlands' bowlers, led by Tim Pringle and Logan Van Beek with 3 wickets each, along with Paul Van Meekeren and Bas de Leede's 2 wickets apiece, managed to dismantle Nepal's batting lineup efficiently.
This match marked the beginning of Group D's campaign in the tournament, which also includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Africa alongside Nepal and the Netherlands.
