WI vs NEP

That's it from us for now. There's another game coming your way. USA takes on Namibia, and that match starts at 03:00 p.m. IST. Do join us for that. For now, this is Bala signing off. Good bye!

02:23 p.m. local time and IST: Contrasting emotions for both sides. Nepal have been knocked out of the tournament after a third consecutive defeat. They arrived with plenty of hope, and that optimism was justified after a spirited, close contest against England. However, from that point on, their performances have not quite matched expectations. Two comprehensive losses since then, including this one against West Indies, have sealed their fate. They still have one game remaining against Scotland, and Nepalese fans will be hoping for a strong performance to sign off with pride.

For the West Indies, it has been a very different story. They have gone from strength to strength as the tournament has progressed. It is only three games so far, but they have looked every bit the team to beat. One more group-stage fixture remains before the focus shifts to the all-important Super Eight stage. Plenty for them to look forward to as confidence continues to build.

Shai Hope (West Indies captain): "Very pleasing. This is what we set out to do from the moment we arrived. That is one hurdle crossed, and now it is on to the next. Firstly, I was glad to have the opportunity to decide what we wanted to do first. The guys put the ball in the right areas. Matthew has been excellent at the start of the innings, putting batters under pressure. The powerplay was tough for them, and then it was about limiting the flow of runs and continuing to take wickets. We might have wanted a few more at the back end, but overall, very happy with the bowlers. The surface had a bit of moisture, and I felt we could exploit that better bowling first. I also have not won too many tosses in recent months, so it was nice to finally get one and make the decision I wanted. Yes, good to contribute. I would not say I was out of form, but it is always nice to contribute to wins. With the Super 8s coming up, this is the time you want to be scoring runs, so I am happy to get some on the board. We continue playing the brand of cricket we want to play. Focus on the little details that we sometimes neglect and keep building momentum. We have played some really good cricket recently, and we want to keep that going. Full credit to him (Jason Holder). He has been hitting his areas and making it very difficult for batters at the top. It is not express pace, but he bowls just enough and uses the movement well. It is great to see him doing well, and when the bowlers and batters both fire, that is complete cricket."

Rohit Paudel (Nepal captain): "Yeah, it was definitely a challenge, especially the way Alzarri, Akeal, and Jason bowled in the powerplay. They used the conditions really well. It was tough, but as a batting unit, we failed again. That is something we need to improve. I think we are missing solid batting partnerships. We are getting partnerships of 20 to 30 runs, but we are not stretching them. As batters, when we get starts, we are not converting them into big scores. That is an area we need to step up as a batting unit. I think he (Dipendra Singh Airee) took his time and played really well. Especially towards the end, he accelerated nicely. Early on, the wicket was very difficult, but he waited for his opportunity and then cashed in. That is something we can all learn from. Keeping the outside noise outside is very important. If we listen to everything being said, it becomes difficult to perform. When a team is losing, it is important to stay positive, and that is what we are trying to do."

Jason Holder (Player of the match): "Yeah, it was a different game, obviously a day game. I felt the ball did a little bit more and held in the surface early on, which made it tougher to get through the line. We also got a bit of movement, which was key. More importantly, I thought our bowlers bowled a really tight line up front. That execution was crucial. Credit not just to me, but to Matthew (Forde) as well. I thought he bowled an outstanding spell early and really set the tone. From there, we were able to adjust. It’s something I’ve been working on for a while now. I’m comfortable going around the wicket at times and changing the angles. The main thing for me is not being predictable. I try to vary my positions at the crease, execute more yorkers, and occasionally use a wider line. It’s about being a bit more unpredictable and understanding when changing the angle works against particular batters. One of my key roles is to help the guys as much as possible, especially under pressure. I try to share whatever information I can. I don’t know everything, but I’ve played enough cricket to offer a few insights. The bowlers have been very receptive, which deserves credit. We’ve spoken at length about planning and preparation, and that has helped a lot. For me, it’s about sharing information, listening as well, and understanding when to step in and when to step back."

02:03 p.m. local time and IST: West Indies 134/1 (15.2 overs) beat Nepal by 9 wickets!
Shai Hope 61*(44) | Shimron Hetmyer 46*(32)
Nandan Yadav 1/24 (3)

A clinical performance from West Indies, from start to finish. The target of 134 was never a daunting one, and the West Indies top order made sure Nepal were never allowed a foothold in the chase. The dismissal of Brandon King in the final over of the powerplay proved to be their only setback.

The bowlers did not enjoy the same level of assistance in the second innings as they had earlier in the day, though it was still not the easiest surface for batting. King attempted to force the pace during the powerplay. Short of runs in recent outings, he struggled once again to time the ball with any consistency. Shai Hope, on the other hand, stayed true to his method. He rotated the strike efficiently, picked up boundaries when on offer, and waited until the result was virtually sealed before opening up, clearing the ropes on a couple of occasions.

Shimron Hetmyer carried forward his excellent run of form. Nepal missed a chance when the slip was taken out and he edged the very next delivery to that vacant region. Barring that moment, it was a commanding display from Hetmyer, which allowed Hope to progress serenely at the other end.

Nepal will be disappointed with their showing in the field. There was not a great deal in the pitch for the bowlers, but some basic errors in the outfield compounded their problems. Fielding has traditionally been a strength for this side, yet it has let them down in this tournament. It was below par against Italy and fell short once again today.

14.4 Sandeep Lamichhane to Shai Hope, SIX! There's no hoping for the catch this time. It's in the slot once again and Hope just launches into it. Hits it gun-barrel straight into the sight-screen

14.2 Sandeep Lamichhane to Shai Hope, good length turning into the batter. Pushes it to the right of the bowler. He fails to cut it off though

14.1 Sandeep Lamichhane to Shai Hope, SIX! Calls for catch, but it's just over! Floats it up full. Hope gets underneath and swings right through the line. Enough elevation and just enough distance to clear the fence