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Darwin, Australia – August 15, 2025
Nepal suffered a 42-run defeat at the hands of Northern Territory Strike in the fifth match of the ongoing Top End T20 Series held in Darwin. After winning the toss, Nepal opted to field first, but the decision didn’t yield the desired result as NT Strike posted a challenging total.

NT Strike Posts Competitive 177/8

Batting first, Northern Territory Strike put up a strong total of 177 runs for 8 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Captain D'Arcy Short led from the front with a fluent 51 off 34 balls, including 7 boundaries and a six. He was well supported by Tom Andrews, who remained unbeaten on 32 from 26 balls.

Nepal’s bowlers had some individual success, with Sandeep Lamichhane claiming 3 wickets for 38 runs, while Shahab Alam picked up 2 wickets. Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Rupesh Singh contributed with a wicket each.

Nepal Falls Short in Run Chase

Chasing 178, Nepal faltered early and could never build a solid partnership. The top order collapsed under pressure, with only Kushal Malla (34 off 26) and Gulsan Jha (26 off 10) making notable contributions. Captain Rohit Paudel added 23 off 21 but failed to carry on.

NT Strike’s bowlers kept the pressure tight. Matt Hammond was the standout performer with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 21 runs in his 4 overs. Kane Richardson chipped in with 2 wickets, while Tom Andrews, Hamish Martin, and D'Arcy Short claimed a wicket each.

Nepal managed to score only 135 for 8 in their full 20 overs, falling short by 42 runs.

Match Summary:

• NT Strike – 177/8 (20 overs)

  • D’Arcy Short – 51 (34)

  • Sandeep Lamichhane – 4-0-38-3

• Nepal – 135/8 (20 overs)

  • Kushal Malla – 34 (26)

  • Matt Hammond – 4-1-21-3

Result: Northern Territory Strike won by 42 runs.

This result highlights Nepal’s need to improve their batting consistency and top-order stability as they look to bounce back in the remaining fixtures of the series.