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NEW DELHI: Kushal Bhurtel’s explosive start and Dipendra Singh Airee’s unbeaten half century powered Nepal to a seven wicket win over Scotland, ending their 12 years wait for a T20 World Cup victory in an inconsequential Group C clash on Tuesday.

Nepal had not won a T20 World Cup match since their debut campaign in 2014 when they defeated Afghanistan and the Netherlands. The Rhinos finally broke the drought with a memorable triumph in front of more than 19,000 fans at the Wankhede Stadium.

Bhurtel blaze sets the tone in chase of 171

Chasing 171, Nepal reached 171 for 3 in 19.2 overs, with Airee smashing an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls that included three sixes and four boundaries. Bhurtel laid the platform with an aggressive 43 at the top.

Gulsan Jha contributed an unbeaten 24 and struck two towering sixes at a crucial stage as he and Airee stitched together a match winning 73 run stands for the fourth wicket.

Bhurtel had an early reprieve when Brad Currie dropped a return catch, and the opener made Scotland pay by launching a huge six over long on in the same over.

Nepal began cautiously under scoreboard pressure but accelerated once settled.

Aasif Sheikh made his intent clear with a six over fine leg in the fourth over. In the following over, Bhurtel hammered two sixes and a four off Mark Watt as 23 runs came from it, with Aasif finishing the over with another powerful strike over square leg.

However, Scotland’s spinners clawed back control and applied pressure through regular wickets.

Bhurtel miscued a sweep off Michael Leask, who returned 3 for 30, and was caught at midwicket for 43 off 35 balls. Soon after, Aasif departed when a thick edge was snapped up by Brad Wheal at short third.

Leask tightened the screws further by having captain Rohit Paudel caught at backward square leg in the 14th over. But Airee swung the momentum again, smashing two sixes and a four in Leask’s final over to collect 20 runs.

Jha sealed the win with a boundary in the final over as Nepal crossed the line with four balls to spare.

Michael Jones fifty lifts Scotland to 170 for 7

Earlier, Michael Jones struck a brisk 71 to guide Scotland to a competitive 170 for 7.

Both teams had already been eliminated from Super Eight contention, with West Indies and England progressing from the group.

Jones was the standout performer, smashing eight fours and three sixes in his 45 ball knock. The rest of the Scottish batters got starts but failed to convert them on a flat pitch.

He did most of the damage in an 80-run opening stand with George Munsey, who struggled for fluency despite batting until the halfway stage of the innings.

While Jones found the gaps comfortably and struck cleanly, Munsey managed just 27 off 29 balls and played second fiddle.

Munsey’s frustration showed when he fell on the final ball of the 10th over, mistiming a full toss from Paudel. Sundeep Jora completed a sharp diving catch at long on as the opener walked off disappointed.

Kami strikes as Nepal restrict Scotland late

Nepal nearly pulled off a catch when Brandon McMullen lofted Nandan Yadav in the 14th over. Positioned at mid-on, Jora appeared to have it covered but the ball slipped through his hands as he fell forward.

Jones continued to attack and even smashed a 94 metre six into the balcony of the Scottish dressing room, where teammate Tom Bruce gathered the ball.

His innings, however, ended soon after when Sompal Kami, operating from around the wicket, bowled him in the 16th over.

Kami finished with impressive figures of 3 for 25 and also produced a sharp one handed return catch to dismiss McMullen, ensuring Nepal kept Scotland to a chaseable total before scripting a historic win.

(With PTI Inputs)