Kathmandu: Hosts Nepal’s losing streak continued in the Nepal Women’s T20I Tri-Series after they succumbed to a 15-run defeat against the Netherlands for the third match in a row at the TU Ground, Kirtipur, on Sunday.

Batting first, the Netherlands posted a competitive total of 140-9 with contributions from top and middle order batters. Chasing the target, Nepal struggled to build momentum losing wickets at regular intervals and were restricted to 125-8.

The Netherlands captain Babette de Leede led from the front with an impressive 41 off 38 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six. She was well-supported by Heather Siegers, who contributed 26 off 23 deliveries, including three boundaries and a six. 

Opener Phebe Molkenboer and number four batter Robine Rijke chipped in with 21 runs each, laying a strong foundation. However, the Dutch side stumbled towards the end, losing their last four wickets adding  just nine runs.

Sita Rana Maga was Nepal’s standout performer with the ball delivering a spectacular spell.  She claimed five wickets for just 12 runs in her three overs including three-wicket haul in the 18th over. Manisha Upadhyay also made an impact, picking up two wickets for 31 runs in her four-over spell.

Chasing the target,captain Indu Barma fought valiantly with a 30-run knock off 32 balls, which included a six. Opener Samjhana Khadka provided a steady start with 23 off 25 balls, hitting four boundaries. Her opening pair Mamta Chaudhary departed for seven runs. Contributions from Puja Mahato (18 off 18) and Kabita Joshi (14 off 15) kept Nepal in the hunt, while Sita Rana Magar remained unbeaten on 10 off six balls, showcasing her all-round prowess. Despite these efforts, Nepal were short of 15 runs.

The Dutch bowler Heather Siegers excelled with the ball, taking 2 wickets for just 10 runs in her two-over spell. She was declared the player-of-the-match for her all-round performance. Iris Zwilling (2-15) and Caroline de Lange (2-31) also played crucial roles in dismantling the Nepali batting lineup.

With this win, the Netherlands climbed to second place on the points table with four points from three matches. Thailand leads the standings with four points from two games, while Nepal remains winless after three outings. Netherlands face Thailand on Monday in their second encounter in the triple round-robin league format.