Kathmandu, Aug 28: Nepal A suffered defeat in their opening game of the Twenty20 series against Assam in Guwahati, India, on Monday. Assam claimed victory by 15 runs under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Chasing a target of 191 runs set by Assam, Nepal A managed only 64 runs for the loss of three wickets in eight overs when rain disrupted play. Under the DLS calculation, Nepal fell short of the required score.

For Nepal A, opener Shubh Kansakar showed some resistance with a knock of 33 runs, while skipper Anil Kumar Sah contributed 20 runs. However, the rest of the batting order faltered, with Sandeep Jora (2), Pawan Sarraf (6), and Ishan Pandey (1) failing to add significant runs. Assam’s bowlers kept things tight, with Marimnoy Dutt and Akash Sengupta each taking one wicket.

Earlier, after being invited to bat first, Assam posted a competitive total of 190 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Sumit Ghadigaonkar top-scored with 34 runs, while Abhinav Chaudhary (26), Akash Sengupta (24*), Rohit Shen (24), and Sumit Kashyapa (22) all chipped in with useful contributions. Sahil Jain added 17 runs, while Avilsh Gogoi and Ayushman Malakar scored one run each.

Nepal A’s bowling attack was led by Akash Chand, who picked up three wickets, while Sagar Dhakal and Vivek Kumar Yadav claimed two apiece. Adil Alam Ansari also contributed with one wicket.

The second match of the series will be played tomorrow, where Nepal A will look to bounce back and level the series.