South Africa thriller will give Nepal confidence going into Bangladesh clash, says Paudel

Nepal came agonisingly close to what could have been their maiden victory over a Test-playing team but South Africa held their nerves and clinched a last-ball thriller to see off the emerging Asian side in Kingstown. 

Nepal needed two off the final ball and one to tie but the 18-year-old Gulshan Jha was run out in a chaotic manner to hand South Africa the victory. The one-run defeat left the vibrant Nepalese crowd at the Arnos Vale Stadium shell-shocked and the players inconsolable. 

But it was a moral victory for them as they gave the mighty Proteas a major scare and everyone from the cricket fraternity applauded their heroic performance. 

Indian cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said Nepal are the team to watch out for in the next 10 years.

Their dream of beating a Full Member did not materialise on Friday but they will have another opportunity when they meet Asian neighbours Bangladesh at the same venue in a couple of days' time.

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel said the fight against South Africa will give them a lot of confidence going into the Bangladesh game.

"I think we are aware of that situation, especially if we won today's game, it would be a very clear knockout game for Bangladesh and our games. So, apart from that, I think the next game we'll play for pride," he said.

"Especially, we wanted to beat a Test playing country. Eventually, it didn't happen today. So, we want to do that in the next game. So, the confidence which today we got, so we want to carry that," Paudel added.

Bangladesh have played Nepal only once before in T20Is. In that 2014 World T20 game in Chattogram, Bangladesh won easily by eight wickets.