Nepal Lose Both T20 Practice Matches Against South Australia in Close Finishes

Nepal suffered another narrow defeat against South Australia in their second practice T20 match on Thursday, losing by just three runs.

Chasing 161, Nepal was bowled out for 157 in 20 overs. Rupesh Singh scored a quick 37 off 19 balls, and Lokesh Bam added 32 off 26. The pair built a key partnership after Nepal was struggling at 82-6, but both were dismissed in the 19th over.

In the final over, Nepal needed 13 runs. Karan KC was caught out, and although Shahab Alam hit a boundary, he was bowled on the last ball, sealing the tight loss.

South Australia had posted 160 for 8, with Ryan King top-scoring at 39, and Daniel Drew and Harry Manenti adding 29 each. For Nepal, Karan KC, Shahab Alam, and Rupesh Singh took 2 wickets each, while Kushal Bhurtel and Karan KC claimed 1 wicket each.

Earlier on Thursday morning, Nepal lost the first practice game by three wickets. The team had won both matches against the Australian Capital Territory on Tuesday.

Nepal finished eighth out of 11 teams in the Top End T20 Series. This tour serves as key preparation for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.