Kushal Bhurtel: Nepal’s opening stand mattered more than his century

Kushal Bhurtel, Nepal's opening batter and the centurion, has said Nepal's strong opening stand against the United States of America gave him more satisfaction than his unbeaten century in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Kirtipur.

Kushal struck 120 not out off 118 balls as Nepal chased 196 in 36.4 overs to beat USA by nine wickets on Saturday. He shared a 145-run opening stand with Aasif Sheikh, who made 58.

Speaking after the match, Kushal said Nepal had been waiting for a solid top-order start. He said he was happy that he and Aasif could finally provide that platform.

Kushal said he had continued to feel in good touch despite missing matches earlier in the series. He added that he had been batting well in the nets and carried the belief that he could make an impact if he spent time at the crease.

The opener said his plan was to bat with clear intent. He felt the pitch was good enough for a higher first-innings score and wanted to attack balls in his range.

Kushal also said his partnership with Aasif was built around simple planning. He said both openers had spoken often about giving Nepal a strong start, knowing that the team usually wins when the top order does its job.

The century was Kushal's second in ODIs. He said a hundred always feels special for a player, but added that the value of the innings came because Nepal won the match.

He also thanked the crowd, saying Saturday’s attendance was the biggest of the recent home matches. Kushal said he hoped more supporters would come for Nepal’s remaining League 2 fixtures.

Kushal welcomed the competition for places in the national team. He said it was becoming difficult for the captain and coach to pick the playing XI, but called that a healthy sign for Nepal cricket.

He also praised ODI debutant Ishan Pandey, who finished unbeaten on 20 and hit the winning boundary. Kushal said Ishan looked calmer at the crease after feeling nervous before his debut.

Nepal have now won three of their five matches in the ongoing home League 2 run. Kushal said the team would take the remaining games one at a time, starting with the next fixture against Scotland.