Image: Nepal stuns West Indies with a huge 90-run T20I win / © Outlook India
On the evening of September 29, 2025, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the second T20I of the Nepal-West Indies series unfolded under floodlights that cast a golden glow on the lush outfield. Nepal, having won the toss, elected to bat first.
The innings began with Kushal Bhurtel, an opener known for aggressive stroke play, facing the new ball from Jediah Blades. The young West Indian pacer found early swing, troubling Bhurtel with balls that nipped away. Bhurtel managed a couple of cautious singles, but his stay was brief. In the second over, Akeal Hosein, the crafty left-arm spinner, struck. His fourth ball drifted in, pitching on middle and turning just enough to beat Bhurtel’s forward prod. The umpire’s finger went up for lbw, and Bhurtel trudged off for 2 off 4 balls, his strike rate a modest 50. Nepal stood at 10 for 1 after 1.2 overs, and the early loss set a tense tone.
Aasif Sheikh, the wicketkeeper-batter with a reputation for composure, was now at the crease, joined by his captain, Rohit Paudel. The pair faced a disciplined West Indies attack, with Hosein maintaining a tight line, conceding just 5.25 runs per over. Paudel, elegant but under pressure, looked to settle in, rotating the strike with singles. However, Hosein struck again in the fourth over. A quicker delivery skidded through, catching Paudel off-guard as he played forward. The ball crashed into the stumps, sending Paudel back for 3 off 10 balls, a strike rate of 30 that reflected the early stranglehold. At 14 for 2 after 3.3 overs, Nepal’s innings teetered.
Sheikh remained unfazed. His approach was measured, blending watchful defense with calculated aggression. Blades returned for his second spell, and Sheikh pounced on a loose delivery. A full toss on the pads was flicked through midwicket for four, Nepal’s first boundary. That shot released pressure, and Sheikh found rhythm, piercing gaps with soft hands. Kushal Malla, the dynamic all-rounder, joined him at number four, bringing an attacking mindset. A quick single off Navin Bidaisee’s medium pace turned chaotic when Zishan Motara’s direct hit from mid-on caught Malla short. Malla’s 7 off 9 balls, including one four, was cut short, leaving Nepal at 43 for 3 after 6.4 overs.
The powerplay was subdued, yielding just 16 runs for two wickets, with West Indies’ bowlers maintaining discipline. Jason Holder, the towering all-rounder, entered the attack, extracting bounce from the pitch. His first over included four wides, a rare lapse, but his height troubled the batsmen. Sheikh, now on 20, anchored one end, while Sundeep Jora, the aggressive right-hander, walked in at number five. Jora, known for power-hitting, took a few balls to settle, surviving a close lbw shout off Holder. Once he found his groove, he unleashed.
Sheikh and Jora’s partnership grew into the innings’ cornerstone. Sheikh reached his fifty with a flicked four off Hosein’s final over, a 35-ball effort showcasing his adaptability. His strike rate of 144 was built on eight fours and two sixes, including a pristine cover drive off Blades and a slog-sweep against Allen that cleared midwicket. Jora was the enforcer. His muscular frame allowed him to dispatch short balls with ease. A flat-batted six off Holder’s high full toss over deep midwicket was the highlight. By the 10th over, their stand crossed 50, pushing Nepal to 70 for 3, a recovery that silenced the West Indian fielders.
As the innings progressed, Nepal accelerated. Jora’s second six, a lofted shot over extra cover off Bidaisee, showcased his range, while Sheikh rotated the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. The partnership reached 100 in 57 balls, a blend of Jora’s 40 off 25 and Sheikh’s steady accumulation. West Indies, sensing the game slipping, recalled their strike bowlers. Blades, in his final over, broke the stand in the 17.4th over. Jora, on 63 off 39 (three fours, five sixes), miscued a pull, and Bidaisee took a sharp catch at deep square leg. Nepal were 143 for 4, but the platform was set.
Gulsan Jha, promoted to number six, added quick runs, smashing a six off Kyle Mayers’ first ball, a pick-up shot that cleared fine leg. Mayers, with his slingy action, struck back in the 19th over, trapping Jha lbw for 6 off 6. Mohammad Aadil Alam, the lower-order aggressor, walked in and hammered a four and a six in his 11 off 5 balls. Mayers had the last laugh, pinning Alam lbw on the final ball. Nepal finished at 173 for 6, a total built on Sheikh’s unbeaten 68 off 47 and Jora’s explosive 63. Extras, 10 wides and three leg-byes, added 13 runs.
During the chase, Jewel Andrew’s early dismissal triggered a collapse that left West Indies reeling in their pursuit of 174. The Sharjah pitch, slick with dew, offered turn and uneven bounce, favoring Nepal’s disciplined attack. With the series slipping away, West Indies needed their top order to fire, but Nepal’s bowlers, led by Mohammad Aadil Alam’s four-wicket haul, dismantled the Caribbean side in a chase that unraveled spectacularly.
Dipendra Singh Airee, the off-spinner with a knack for deception, opened the bowling, a bold move by captain Rohit Paudel. Andrew, the young opener, faced a probing first over, managing a single. Airee’s second over brought the breakthrough: an arm ball, full and straight, slipped through Andrew’s tentative defense, crashing into the stumps. Two runs off 11 balls, a strike rate of 18.18, Andrew’s exit left West Indies at 4 for 1 after 2.2 overs, the required rate nudging 8.7.
Kyle Mayers, the explosive all-rounder, partnered Keacy Carty, hoping to stabilize. Karan KC, Nepal’s fiery pacer, replaced Airee and bowled a maiden in the third over, his outswingers beating the bat. Carty, usually dependable, lasted three balls, edging a rising delivery to Kushal Bhurtel at first slip for 1. At 5 for 2 after 3.2 overs, West Indies were in disarray, the powerplay yielding six runs for two wickets. Nepali fielders, buzzing with energy, sensed blood.
Ackeem Auguste, the middle-order anchor, joined Mayers, but the asking rate was climbing. Paudel introduced himself in the fifth over, his part-time off-spin deceiving with subtle variations. Mayers, stuck on 6 off 16, faced Mohammad Aadil Alam in the eighth over. The young left-arm spinner, mixing googlies and arm balls, lured Mayers into a lofted drive. The ball turned, taking the edge to Gulsan Jha at slip. 23 for 3 after 7.3 overs, Mayers’ strike rate of 37.5 reflected Nepal’s chokehold.
Amir Jangoo, the wicket-keeper-batter, arrived with a counterattacking reputation. He and Auguste pushed to 38 for 3 by the 10th over, crossing 50 in 64 balls with three extras. Auguste showed intent, punching a four off Paudel through cover and lofting a six off Sompal Kami. Alam struck again in the 9.5th over, bowling Auguste for 17 off 21 (one four, one six) with a quicker delivery that cramped him. At 38 for 4, West Indies were crumbling, and a strategic timeout did little to stem the tide.
Jason Holder, the experienced all-rounder, joined Jangoo, who was on 9. Kami returned, and Holder smashed a six, a flat pull over square leg, but Nepal’s bowlers stayed relentless. Lalit Rajbanshi, the left-arm spinner, entered in the 11th over, his drift causing problems. Jangoo, trying to break free, skied Alam to Bhurtel at deep midwicket for 16 off 14 (one four, one six). 63 for 5 after 11.5 overs, and the chase was slipping. Holder, on 12, needed a blinder, but Rajbanshi outfoxed him in the 16th over, inducing a miscued loft to Jha for 21 off 15 (two sixes).
Fabian Allen and Akeal Hosein, the captain, briefly resisted, but Airee’s third over was a maiden, 14 dots showcasing his control. Allen fell to Kushal Bhurtel’s off-spin in the 13.2 over, bowled for 7 off 8 after missing a cut. 74 for 6. Hosein followed, caught by Alam off Bhurtel for a duck, edging a drive. 74 for 7 after 13.5 overs, the collapse was terminal. Navin Bidaisee scratched 2 off 5 before Alam had him caught by Bhurtel in the 15.5th over. 79 for 8.
Zishan Motara, the debutant, managed 3 off 4 before top-edging Bhurtel to Karan KC at point in the 17.1th over. Jediah Blades, unbeaten on 1 off 3, watched helplessly as West Indies folded for 83 in 17.1 overs, a run rate of 4.83. Extras, three byes, one leg-bye, three wides, added seven runs, but the batting was woeful.
In a thrilling T20 match, Mohammad Aadil Alam emerged as the standout performer for Nepal, earning the TCNI Magic Moment of the Game for his exceptional bowling against the West Indies. Defending a target of 174 runs, Alam delivered a game-changing spell, finishing with impressive figures of 4 overs, 0 maidens, 24 runs, and 4 wickets at an economy rate of 6.00. His disciplined bowling dismantled the West Indies batting lineup, restricting them to just 83 runs in 17.1 overs.
Alam struck early, dismissing Kyle Mayers (6 runs), Ackeem Auguste (17 runs), Amir Jangoo (16 runs), and Navin Bidaisee (2 runs), breaking the backbone of the opposition. His ability to bowl tight lines and induce false shots was crucial in Nepal’s dominant victory. Supported by Kushal Bhurtel’s 3 wickets and economical spells from Dipendra Singh Airee (1/4) and Karan KC (1/3), Alam’s performance ensured the West Indies collapsed, losing wickets at regular intervals.
As the Hero of the Day, Nepal’s wicket-keeper-batsman Aasif Sheikh delivered a match-defining performance in their T20 clash, finishing unbeaten on 68 runs off just 47 balls. Facing a challenging 20-over chase, Sheikh anchored Nepal’s innings with a blend of composure and aggression, guiding his team to a solid total of 173/6.
His knock included eight crisp fours and two towering sixes, boasting an impressive strike rate of 144.68. While wickets tumbled early, with Nepal slipping to 43/3, Sheikh held firm, steering the team through a critical middle phase. His pivotal 100-run partnership with Sundeep Jora (63 off 39) for the fourth wicket turned the tide, lifting Nepal from a shaky start to a commanding position.