Bangladesh A finally got on the board in the Top End T20 League, beating Nepal by 32 runs in Darwin on Saturday.
After slipping to the Pakistan Shaheens in their opening game, the second-string Bangladesh side looked sharper this time.
Jisan Alam provided the spark at the top, smashing 73 from 46 balls with four boundaries and five sixes. He and Mohammad Naim put on 62 for the first wicket before Naim went for 25, and though the middle order couldn’t quite keep the tempo, the innings stayed on course.
Afif Hossain finished things off with a fluent 48 not out from 23 deliveries, peppering the boundary nine times. Thanks to his late push, Bangladesh closed at 186 for six.
Nepal never really got going in reply. Hasan Mahmud struck in the second over and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan tightened the grip soon after, returning figures of three for 18.
He almost claimed a hat-trick in the 10th over, trapping Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulshan Jha in back-to-back balls.
Kushal Malla stood firm for Nepal with an unbeaten 59 off 47, but with little support at the other end, the chase petered out at 154 for seven.
The win gave Bangladesh A their first points of the campaign. They will take on the Perth Scorchers Academy in their next outing on Sunday afternoon, Bangladesh time.