Nepal outclass West Indies to seal historic series win

Nepal crush the former T20 world champions by 90 runs

Nepal subjected the West Indies to a thumping 90-run defeat to secure an unassailable 2-0 series lead in the T20 series, sending shockwaves around the cricketing world and marking a historic achievement for the team.

Three days ago, Nepal had never played a T20I series against a full ICC member nation. Now, they had sealed an unlikely series victory with a match to spare in Sharjah on Monday.

Chasing 174 to win, the West Indies batting collapse began early, with Nepal’s bowlers applying pressure through slow balls and full deliveries.

After reducing the hosts to 16 for 2 in the powerplay, including two key wickets from Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Bhurtel, Nepal's vice-like grip continued throughout the innings.

The Caribbean side struggled to find form, with only Jason Holder managing a brief 21 off 15 balls.

Medium pacer Mohammad Aadil Alam, who finished with 4 for 24, played a key role in restricting the opposition, aided by a stunning diving catch from Gulsan Jha that sent Kyle Mayers packing for a sluggish 6 off 16 balls.

The West Indies' collapse continued as Alam claimed two more wickets, leaving them tottering at 63 for 5. Bhurtel, who had impressed with the bat, added a three-wicket haul to his tally.

Holder, the last hope for the West Indies, fell to Lalit Rajbanshi, with Jha taking another sensational catch. The tail was swept up quickly, and the West Indies were all out for only 83, their sixth-lowest total in T20 cricket.

Earlier, Nepal’s 173 for 6 had been built around a solid partnership between Aasif Sheikh and Sundeep Jora, who put on a crucial 100-run stand.

Jora’s explosive 63 off 39 balls included five sixes, while Sheikh finished unbeaten on 68 from 47 balls.

Despite Akeal Hosein’s excellent bowling performance for the West Indies, taking 2 for 21, his team had no answer to Nepal’s dominance.

Nepal’s remarkable win, which included the lowest total by a full-member team against an associate nation, serves as a major confidence booster ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers.