KATHMANDU, MARCH 21
Nepal faced a humiliating 99-run defeat at the hands of the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai today.
Chasing a 203-run target, Nepal were skittled out for all-time low ODI score of 103 runs in the tri-series match under the ICC Cricket World Cup League- II. Nepal faced the second successive defeat against the UAE in the series. The previous worst performance of Nepal in ODIs was 113 runs against the same opponents in 2019.
Former skipper Gyanendra Malla top scored for Nepal with 65-ball 30 that included two boundaries, while Sompal Kami and Aarif Sheikh scored 15 runs each, while Binod Bhandari contributed 12 runs.
Nepali batters struggled to build partnerships and they were reduced to 21-4.
The 33-run partnership between Malla and Sheikh was the best stand in Nepal's innings. They lost last five wickets for just 15 runs.
Junaid Siddique was the pick of the UAE bowlers taking 4-23, while Kashif Daud and Ahmed Raza bagged two wickets each.
Earlier, the home team posted a challenging total riding on half century from player-of-the-match Rohan Mustafa. He scored 60 off 73 balls that included two fours and a six. Opener Muhammad Waseem contributed 33, while Chirag Suri scored 26.
Vriiyta Aravinda scored 24, while Alishan Sarafu contributed 21. Nepal skipper Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets, while Sompal Kami and Karan KC claimed two wickets each. Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh grabbed one wicket apiece.
Nepal will play against Papua New Guinea in the last match of the series on Tuesday.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 22, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
