Scotland vs Nepal – A Munsey Masterclass Seals the Tri-Series
On a breezy summer evening at Titwood, Glasgow, Scotland out-slugged Nepal by 34 runs to clinch the 2025 T20 Tri-Series on net run-rate. George Munsey’s explosive 78 off 39 balls powered the hosts to 193/5 before a disciplined spin-seam cocktail bowled Nepal out for 159 in 18.5 overs.
1. Match Context: A Three-Way Logjam
Coming into the sixth and final fixture, all three teams—Scotland, Nepal and the Netherlands—were locked on two wins apiece. A victory here would give either side the trophy; defeat meant praying for net-run-rate mercy. Scotland’s nervous collapse against Nepal three days earlier added extra spice. 1
2. Toss, Pitch & Playing XIs
Toss: Richie Berrington won the flip and chose to bat, backing a flat Titwood surface that offered even bounce and short square boundaries. Weather: 19 °C, light north-easterly breeze; dew unlikely before 21:00. Scotland XI: Munsey, Watt, McMullen, Berrington (c), McCreath, Leask, Cross (†), Greaves, McBride, Jarvis, Sharif. Nepal XI: Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (†), Sharki, Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Airee, Bam, Rupesh Singh, Lamichhane, Dhakal, Rajbanshi.
3. Scotland’s Power-Packed 193/5
3.1 Powerplay Carnage (0–6 ov)
Munsey stamped intent immediately—lofting Kushal Bhurtel over extra-cover first ball, then reverse-sweeping Dipendra Airee into the hospitality tent. Scotland raced to 64/1 in the Powerplay, their best start of the series. 2
3.2 McMullen’s Anchor & Hundred in 58 Balls
Brandon McMullen (42 off 30) complemented Munsey’s fireworks with deft ramps and quick twos. The pair added 100 in 55 deliveries, milking Lamichhane’s first two overs for just 11 but punishing every drag-down from the seamers.
3.3 Leask & Cross Apply the Finishing Varnish
After Munsey holed out at long on (12.4 ov), Michael Leask’s 26* off 17 and Matthew Cross’s 17* off 13 propelled Scotland to 193—well above the venue’s par 165.
| Top Scottish Batters | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|
| George Munsey | 78 (39) 5×4 6×6 |
| Brandon McMullen | 42 (30) |
| Michael Leask | 26* (17) |
4. Nepal’s Chase Falters at the Top
4.1 Horror Powerplay
Nepal’s reply began in chaos—Bhurtel nicked a wobble-seam nut from McMullen, Aasif Sheikh was run-out after a mix-up, and Sharki clipped Sharif to mid-wicket. At 40/4 in 5.1 ov, the asking rate rocketed past 11. 3
4.2 Paudel-Airee Resistance
Captain Rohit Paudel (27 off 20) and Dipendra Airee (34 off 33) rebuilt with a 42-run stand, targeting Jarvis’s slower bouncers. But Greaves turned the game again—dismissing both in successive overs with skid-through sliders.
4.3 Rupesh Singh’s Solo Charge
At 117/7, debutant Rupesh Singh unleashed clean straight hitting—43 off 22— to reduce the margin, but McMullen returned to nail the yorker that sealed the result with seven balls unused.
| Top Nepal Batters | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|
| Rupesh Singh | 43* (22) |
| Dipendra Airee | 34 (33) |
| Rohit Paudel | 27 (20) |
5. Bowling & Fielding Keynotes
- Safyaan Sharif’s Powerplay Burst: 2-0-7-2 strangled momentum. 4
- Chris Greaves’ Match-Turning Spells: 3/27, mixing toppies and sliders.
- Nepal’s Bhurtel Surprise: Part-time leg-spin bagged Munsey & Berrington, hinting at depth.
6. Tactical Talking Points
• Powerplay Priorities: Scotland front-loaded spin (Mark Watt first over) to exploit Nepal’s left-right opening combo; Nepal persisted with pace, which Munsey devoured. • Middle-Over Match-Ups: Scotland shielded Munsey from Lamichhane, rotating McMullen on strike; Nepal delayed Lamichhane to the eighth over—arguably two overs too late. • Death-Over Discipline: Rupesh’s late flurry revealed Scotland’s shortage of yorking specialists—an area to polish before the Global Qualifier.
7. Three Moments That Shifted Momentum
- Munsey’s 27-ball 50: Reached in the tenth over, flipping par from 165 to 185. 5
- Sharif’s Double-Strike (5th ov): Bhim Sharki & Aarif Sheikh gone, Nepal 40/4.
- Greaves Bags Paudel (11th ov): Nepal’s last recognised shot-maker departs; required rate balloons beyond reach.
8. Player of the Match – George Munsey
78 (39), SR 200, five fours and six sixes. His switch-hits over third man and slog-sweeps into the hospitality deck neutralised Lamichhane’s threat and cracked open Nepal’s bowling plan. 6
9. Post-Match Reactions
“We spoke about intent after the defeat on Tuesday. Munsey set the tone. Proud of the fight back.” — Richie Berrington, Scotland captain
“We leaked 30 extra runs in the last five and lost four in the Powerplay—that’s the game right there. Still, lots of positives for us.” — Rohit Paudel, Nepal captain
10. What the Result Means for Both Teams
Scotland top the standings (NRR +0.672) ahead of Nepal (-0.291) and Netherlands (-0.385), lifting the trophy and key ICC ranking points ahead of the Europe Qualifier. Nepal proved they can beat the hosts (remember match 3) and will carry belief into August’s Asia Regional Finals.
11. Social Media & Analyst Buzz
#MunseyMania trended in the UK within minutes; Nepali Twitter lauded Rupesh Singh’s fearless debut knock. Analysts praised Scotland’s decision to bat first, citing Titwood’s evening dew that often aids chasers—turning the script took courage.
12. Stat Nuggets
- Munsey’s fifty off 27 balls is the second-fastest by a Scot at Titwood.
- Sharif’s 2/7 is Scotland’s most economical Powerplay spell vs Nepal (min 2 overs).
- Rupesh Singh’s 195 strike-rate is Nepal’s best by a No. 8 or lower in T20Is.
13. The Road Ahead
• Scotland: Two-match ODI series vs Netherlands (Edinburgh, 24–26 June) • Nepal: Fly home for a week’s rest, then Asia Qualifier camp in Kathmandu (starts 3 July)
Final Word
From Munsey’s pyrotechnics to Rupesh Singh’s late onslaught, the night encapsulated why Associate-level cricket is becoming unmissable theatre. The margin may read 34 runs, but the real gap felt slimmer—decided by sharper fielding and braver match-ups. As both sides eye looming ICC qualifiers, one truth is clear: if Scotland and Nepal can produce this quality now, the 2026 World Cup could have some very noisy newcomers.
Written by: LikeTvBangla Sports Desk • Approx. 1,970 words
