DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) — West Indies’ batsmen faltered once again, this time against minnows Nepal, on their way to a humiliating 19-run defeat in the opening Twenty20 International (T20I) on Saturday.

Jason Holder and Navin Bidaisee shared seven wickets between them and were the main reason Nepal was limited to 148 for eight from 20 overs after they were sent in to bat at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

But faced with a seemingly straightforward run chase, Bidaisee was the only batter to score more than 20, as the Windies were restricted to 129 for nine in their 20 overs to give Nepal their first-ever win against a Full Member.

It also propelled them to a 1-0 lead in the three-match Unity Cup series.

For captain and Player-of-the-Match, Rohit Paudel, the victory was not only historic, but also welcomed, as it capped off a difficult few weeks for the people of Nepal.

“I think it feels great, especially after a long wait to beat a Test-playing country.

“…I want to dedicate this Man-of the Match award to the martyrs who lost their lives in the gen-Z protest in Nepal. The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, I think that would be great,” Paudel said in a post-match interview.

For the umpteenth time, the West Indies’ top order batsmen failed to deliver, as their opponents — ranked 18th in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20I rankings — dominated them with their plethora of medium pacers and spinners.

The second T20I is set to be played on Monday.