Italy bowl out Nepal for paltry 123 in T20 World Cup clash

None of the specialist Nepal batters could counter Italys charge on what remained a true batting wicket providing grip and turn when England and West Indies had played here on the same surface on Wednesday night.

Ben Manenti (2/9) and Crishan Kalugamage (3/18) stifled Nepal batters in a remarkable display of spin bowling as Italy bowled out their opponents for a paltry 123 in their Group C match of the T20 World Cup here on Thursday. Spinners continued to dominate the proceedings here at the Wankhede Stadium as Italy showed admirable precision with their line and lengths, combined with some terrific fielding, which kept an on-song Nepal constantly under the pump. Manenti strangulated the Nepal batters from one end, returning 4-0-9-2 while Kalugamage also bowled his heart out to finish with three wickets. Former South African player JJ Smuts claimed 1/22 from his four overs for the T20 World Cup debutants as Nepal crumbled against pressure from Italian spinners. Manenti's exploits off the surface with his orthodox off-spin also made his younger brother Harry's job much easier, who has stepped in after Italy lost their skipper Wayne Madsen to a dislocated shoulder. But Madsen's absence was far from being felt in a unit which functioned like a well-oiled machine, with their fielders being present every time there was an opportunity of a catch. Kalugamage trusted the grip off the surface to beat Dipendra Singh Airee (17) with a wrong-un that crashed into his off-stump, while opener Aasif Sheikh's innings was cut-short with a brilliant stumping from wicketkeeper Gian-Piero Meade off Manenti in the eighth over. It was as clinical a bowling performance as it gets from Italy, as they allowed no freebies from the outset and did not drop a single catch, keeping the partisan crowd largely silent. The innings ended with a run-out via a direct hit from the stand-in skipper Harry, as Nepal were shot out for 123 in 19.3 overs. None of the specialist Nepal batters could counter Italy's charge on what remained a true batting wicket providing grip and turn when England and West Indies had played here on the same surface on Wednesday night. Nepal, who had come agonisingly close to beating England in their last outing here, began with an early dismissal of Kushal Bhurtel and since the beginning of the contest remained under pressure. Only Rohit Paudel appeared to be counter-attacking when he smacked two sixes, but the Nepal skipper was caught at the ropes despite having picked Kalugamage's googly. Aarif Sheikh (27) hit three fours to lead the scorers for Nepal while Karan KC was left stranded on 11-ball 18 not out with one six and a four when the final wicket fell.

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