**Nepal Captain Rohit Paudel Dedicates Historic Victory Over West Indies to Gen Z Protest Martyrs**
Nepal’s cricket captain Rohit Paudel has dedicated the team’s historic victory over the West Indies to the martyrs of the recent Gen Z protests. On Saturday, the Asian minnows stunned the cricketing world by securing a 19-run win against the West Indies. This marked Nepal’s first-ever victory against a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
During the post-match presentation, Paudel said, “I want to dedicate this award to the martyrs back home who participated in the protest. The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, I think that would be great.”
### Why Were the Protests Held in Nepal?
Large-scale protests and demonstrations erupted in Nepal earlier this month following a nationwide ban on numerous social media platforms. The protests led to violence against public officials and vandalism of government and political buildings.
As a result, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, along with a few other government ministers, resigned. Following their resignations, Sushila Karki was appointed as the interim Prime Minister of Nepal. The unrest gradually subsided by September 13.
### Nepal Stuns West Indies in Sharjah
The match was played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, where the West Indies won the toss and elected to field first against the Associate Member team, Nepal. The West Indies bowlers restricted Nepal to a modest total of 148/8. The innings was anchored by vital contributions from the Nepalese middle order.
After early wickets from West Indies pacers Akeal Hosain and Jason Holder dismissed Kushal Bhurtel (5) and Aasif Sheikh (3) respectively, Nepal found themselves at 12/2 in the fourth over. However, skipper Rohit Paudel (38 off 35 balls), Kusal Malla (30 from 21), and Gulsan Jha (22 off 16) helped their side reach a respectable 148/8.
For the West Indies, Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4 wickets for 20 runs, while Bidaisee took 3 wickets for 29 runs.
### Brilliant Bowling Effort Seals Victory for Nepal
Chasing a target of 149, the West Indies got off to a poor start when Kushal Bhurtel ran out opening batter Kyle Mayers for just 5 runs off eight balls. Nepal’s bowlers then produced a disciplined performance, making it difficult for the former T20 World Champions to score freely.
This collective bowling effort helped Nepal restrict the West Indies to 129/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Kushal Bhurtel returned with two crucial wickets, while Dipendra Singh Airee, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Rohit Paudel each took one wicket.
Nepal’s stunning win against a cricketing powerhouse has not only marked a significant milestone for the team but also brought joy to a country recovering from recent turmoil.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/we-can-give-little-bit-of-happiness-nepal-skipper-rohit-paudel-dedicates-win-over-west-indies-to-martyrs-of-gen-z-protest
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