Nepal stun West Indies in historic T20I triumph

Nepal scripted history on Saturday evening, defeating two-time world champions West Indies by 19 runs in the first T20 International in Sharjah – their maiden victory against a full-member nation.

Nepal 148 for 8 (Paudel 38, Malla 30, Holder 4-20, Bidaisee 3-29) beat West Indies 129 for 9 (Bidaisee 22, Bhurtel 2-17, Yadav 1-6) by 19 runs

After being sent in to bat, Nepal posted 148 for 8 with skipper Rohit Paudel (38) and Kushal Malla (30) steadying the innings. In reply, the Caribbean batting order faltered against disciplined Nepali bowling. Kushal Bhurtel starred with the ball (2/17), while the fielders backed him up with sharp efforts to restrict West Indies well short of the target.

The Sharjah crowd – packed with Nepali supporters draped in national colours – erupted as the final wicket fell. Celebrations continued back home, where fans spilled into the streets, waving flags and sharing the historic moment across social media.

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) president Chatur Bahadur Chand hailed the result as a milestone for the nation's cricketing journey: "It is a historic win for us and a testament to our players' hard work. Victories like these will inspire the next generation."

Captain Paudel dedicated the win to the people of Nepal, especially those affected by recent turmoil: "This victory is for our martyrs and fans back home. We wanted to bring a little happiness to the nation."

Former selector Dipendra Chaudhary praised the team's resilience, saying the result would boost the players’ confidence ahead of future challenges.

Rohit Paudel-led Nepal made history on Saturday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, recording their first-ever victory against an ICC Full Member. It has taken 180 internationals for Nepal to go all the way against a full member side.