Hosts Nepal came within touching distance of a famous win against the Netherlands Women, but their late surge was not enough as they fell just short in a tense run chase on Day 3 of the ICC T20 Women's World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier.
The Dutch had earlier set a challenging target after posting 140/5, built around a composed innings from captain Babette de Leede, who top-scored with 49 off 47 balls.
Nepal's chase looked to be slipping away when they were reduced to 93/7 in the 17th over, with the Netherlands firmly in control. However, Rubina Chhetry and Sita Magar produced a stunning fightback to bring the home crowd back into the contest.
Rubina remained unbeaten on 37 off 32, while Sita smashed 27 off just 12 deliveries, as the pair added an unbroken 45-run stand at the death to keep Nepal’s hopes alive right into the final over.
But with the game on the line, Heather Siegers held her nerve with a crucial final over, guiding the Netherlands to another narrow victory. The Dutch remain unbeaten after three matches in Group B, with their last two wins coming by single-digit margins.
With the momentum on their side, the Netherlands now sit on top of the group table and can begin looking ahead toward the Super Six stage of the tournament.
