Nepal’s TU Ground has rapidly evolved into a fortress for the national cricket team, witnessing a series of historic and thrilling One Day Internationals (ODIs) within a relatively short timeframe. The ground’s ODI debut on February 5, 2020, marked the beginning of an extraordinary cricketing journey, hosting a total of 32 matches that have seen 16,225 deliveries bowled, resulting in 13,228 runs and 488 wickets.
Nine different countries have graced TU Ground with their presence in ODIs, with Nepal leading the pack with 25 appearances. The list includes UAE (8), Namibia (7), P.N.G (6), Oman (5), Scotland and USA (4 each), Canada (3), and Netherlands (2). Interestingly, both USA and Canada are yet to secure a victory at TU Ground. Out of the 32 matches, teams batting first have triumphed 11 times, while chasing teams have emerged victorious on 22 occasions, emphasizing a significant trend favoring chasing teams. In the last 10 matches, the team batting first has secured victory only twice, both led by Nepal.
In the 25 ODIs played at TU Ground, Nepal has asserted its dominance by clinching victory in an impressive 18 matches. Despite a slower start with just two wins in their initial seven matches, both against the USA, Nepal went on to create a record-winning streak of 15 consecutive games. This streak came to a halt with a defeat against Namibia on February 15, 2024. Noteworthy triumphs include wins against UAE (5), USA (2), Namibia (2), Scotland (2), PNG (2), Oman (1), Netherlands (1), and Canada (3).
Top 5 Run Scorers (Nepal’s Players):
- Rohit Paudel: 19 inns, 635 runs, 35.27 avg, 4 fifty, 1 hundred
- Aasif Seikh: 18 inns, 513 runs, 34.20 avg, 5 fifty, 1 hundred
- Kushal Bhurtel: 19 inns, 464 runs, 24.42 avg, 2 fifty, 1 hundred
- Bhim Sharki: 12 inns, 463 runs, 46.30 avg, 1 fifty, 1 hundred
- Kushal Malla: 15 inns, 460 runs, 35.38 avg, 3 fifty, 1 hundred
Among the top 5 run-scorers, Bhurtel stands out with an average below 30. However, his match-winning contributions, part-time bowling, and solid fielding make him a consistent threat for opponents on home turf.
Top 5 Run Scorers (Foreign Players):
- Muhammad Waseem: 8 inns, 340 runs, 42.50 avg, 2 fifty, 1 hundred
- Aqib Ilyas: 4 inns, 302 runs, 100.66 avg, 1 fifty, 2 hundred
- Michael Van Lingen: 6 inns, 217 runs, 31.16 avg, 0 fifty, 1 hundred
- Zeeshan Maqsood: 5 inns, 208 runs, 52.00 avg, 1 fifty, 1 hundred
- Vriitya Aravind: 8 inns, 200 runs, 25.00 avg, 1 fifty, 0 hundred
Aqib Ilyas stands out as the only batsman to score two centuries at TU Ground, boasting an impressive average of 100.66. Meanwhile, Muhammad Waseem has been outstanding with 340 runs at an impressive average of 42.50 and a blistering strike rate of 129.27.
Top 5 Wicket-Takers (Nepal’s Players):
- Sandeep Lamichhane: 16 inns, 40 wkts, 17.20 avg, 4.64 eco
- Lalit Rajbanshi: 15 inns, 26 wkts, 16.80 avg, 3.38 eco
- Karan KC: 16 inns, 23 wkts, 27.95 avg, 5.74 eco
- Sompal Kami: 20 inns, 22 wkts, 36.86 avg, 5.43 eco
- Dipendra S Airee: 18 inns, 16 wkts, 27.75 avg, 3.63 eco
Sandeep Lamichhane stands out with exceptional figures at TU Ground, and Lalit Rajbanshi has been consistently impressive, boasting the best average among bowlers with at least 15 innings bowled. While pacers have faced challenges, Karan KC has emerged as the leading wicket-taker for Nepal.
Top 5 Wicket-Takers (Foreign Players):
- Ruben Trumpelmann: 7 inns, 13 wkts, 19.53 avg, 4.73 eco
- Mark Watt: 4 inns, 13 wkts, 20.00 avg, 3.39 eco
- Aqib Ilyas: 5 inns, 11 wkts, 11.81 avg, 4.19 eco
- Rohan Mustafa: 8 inns, 10 wkts, 24.20 avg, 3.44 eco
- Gerhard Erasmus: 5 inns, 9 wkts, 14.77 avg, 4.20 eco
Mark Watt has been exceptional in his four innings, and among pacers, only Trumpelmann features in the list, with the other three being all-rounders for their respective teams.
Top 5 Highest Scores in an Inning:
- 310/6 – UAE vs Nepal
- 310/8 – Nepal vs Oman
- 297/10 – Nepal vs PNG
- 292/8 – PNG vs Nepal
- 287/8 – Nepal vs Namibia
Nepal features three times in the top 5 list, sharing the joint highest score with UAE on this ground.
Top 5 Highest Successful Run Chases:
- 287/8 – Nepal vs Namibia, 2023
- 287/6 – Nepal vs Canada, 2024
- 283/7 – PNG vs Nepal, 2022
- 278/7 – Nepal vs Namibia, 2023
- 275/7 – Nepal vs Scotland, 2023
Surprisingly, PNG enters the list, while all other successful run chases are achieved by Nepal.
Average of All Batsmen of a Team:
- Oman: 5 matches, 38.76 avg
- Nepal: 25 matches, 31.11 avg
- Scotland: 4 matches, 29.79 avg
- P.N.G: 6 matches, 27.35 avg
- Canada: 3 matches, 27.18 avg
- UAE: 8 matches, 23.54 avg
- Namibia: 7 matches, 21.98 avg
- Netherlands: 2 matches, 20.07 avg
- U.S.A: 4 matches, 14.67 avg
Oman’s batsmen exhibit the highest average in this ground, though the sample size is smaller compared to Nepal. P.N.G and Canada batsmen have adapted well compared to U.S.A, Namibia, and Netherlands batsmen.
Top 5 Lowest Scores Batting First:
- USA: 35 vs Nepal, 2020
- P.N.G.: 95 vs Nepal, 2023
- U.A.E: 117 vs Nepal, 2023
- Namibia: 123 vs Netherlands, 2024
- Nepal: 132 vs Namibia, 2024
USA’s 35 all out against Nepal stands as the joint lowest score ever in an ODI match.
Top 5 Highest Strike Rate Innings (Min. 20 Balls):
- 252.38 – Aasif Seikh 53*(21) vs P.N.G, 2023
- 250.00 – Anil Shah 50(20) vs Canada, 2024
- 240.47 – Aasif Khan 101*(42) vs Nepal, 2023
- 168.85 – George Munsey 103*(61) vs Namibia, 2023
- 168.75 – Kushal Malla 108(64) vs Oman, 2023
All these innings are exceptionally aggressive, with three players from Nepal among the top 5.
Top 5 Best Bowling Figures in an Innings:
- 6/16 – Sandeep Lamichhane vs U.S.A, 2020
- 6/34 – Aryan Dutt vs Namibia, 2024
- 5/20 – Lalit Rajbanshi vs U.A.E, 2023
- 5/25 – Sandeep Lamichhane vs P.N.G, 2023
- 5/28 – Gerhard Erasmus vs Nepal, 2024
Bowler have taken five or more wickets on eight occasions at TU Ground in ODI format, with Sandeep Lamichhane featuring twice in the list.
As Nepal completes its 25th home game in ODI cricket, fans eagerly anticipate their team’s continued dominance on familiar turf. TU Ground has witnessed unforgettable performances, record-winning streaks, and individual brilliance, solidifying its status as a special venue for Nepali cricket. The team’s consistent success at home not only delights fans but also establishes TU Ground as a formidable fortress where opponents find it challenging to breach Nepal’s determined defense.
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