Jyoti Pandey, Sita Rana Magar helps Nepal to huge win; Uganda take series 3-2

Jyoti Pandey played her career-best knock of 49 to help Nepal register their second win of the series and end it on a high. The opening batter’s innings meant Nepal got the better Uganda by 33 runs at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday (May 21). Having won the first three matches, Uganda will take home the trophy with a 3-2 score line.



Put into bat by the visitors, Pandey and Rana magar gave Nepal their best start of the series as they added 47 runs for the opening wicket. Uganda eventually broke the stand with Phiona Kulume striking with the wicket of Rana Magar



From there, Pandey shared another 35-run partnership with Indu Barma to help Nepal through solid middle overs. Just when it looked like the 25-year-old Pandey will hit her first T20I half-century, Uganda removed her for a well-made 61-ball 49.



Some big hits from Kabita Joshi and Apsari Begam took Nepal over the 120-run mark, the highest total of the series with 26 runs coming from the last two overs.



For Uganda, Kulume was the best bowler on display even though she took only one wicket.



ALSO READ: Debutante Hiranmayee Roy helps Nepal to first win of Uganda series



Chasing 124 to make it 4-1, Uganda didn’t get off to the greatest of starts and lost Kulume and Janet Mbabazi early in the power play. They couldn’t build any partnership and lost wickets at regular intervals.



Uganda batters struggled to take the attack to Nepal bowlers for a second time in as many matches and only Rita Musamali put up some fight. By the time she fell to Barma for 26 in the 18^th over, it was too steep a hill for them to climb. That meant Nepal rode to a huge 33-run win with Uganda managing only 90 runs for the loss of six wickets.



For Nepal, Barma and Rana Magar picked up two wickets each while 15-year-old Hiranmayee Roy was once again impressive with her leg spin.



Brief Scores: Nepal 123/6 in 20 overs (Jyoti Pandey 49, Kabita Joshi 18; Phiona Kulume 1/18) beat Uganda 82/8 in 18 overs (Rita Musamali 26; Indu Barma 2/12, Sita Rana Magar 2/15) by 33 runs  POTM: Jyoti Pandey; POTS: Janet Mbabazi