KATHMANDU: Nepal won their second match against Namibia in the ICC World Cricket League Championship by three wickets at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Monday.

Today's victory has kept Nepal's hopes to qualify for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018 alive with better points than Namibia in the table.

Sharad Vesawkar hit a winning shot in the penultimate ball while chasing the 240-run target. Playing 107 balls, he contributed an unbeaten 78 runs including six fours.

Skipper Paras Khadka made flamboyant 103 off 94. He hit five fours and seven sixes before falling in an LBW trap in 41.2 overs.

Paras Khadka's brilliant 103 guided Nepal to a thrilling 3-wicket victory over Namibia https://t.co/wRQFpiROd9 #WCLC pic.twitter.com/uybb42eZsd

— ICC (@ICC) April 18, 2016

The 167-run partnership between Khadka and Veswakar helped Nepal build up the skeleton for the crucial victory.

Khadka's wicket, however, created uncertainty over Nepal's fate as four batsmen -- Rajesh Pulami (1), Binod Bhandari (12), Sagar Pun (2) and Sompal Kami (1) -- were dismissed in a quick succession for just 30 runs though Nepal were 205/4 in 41.2 overs.

Namibia's SF Burger took three wickets, while Z Groenewald claimed two and JJ Smit and G Snyman one apiece in their bid to restrain the hosts.

After winning the match, skipper Khadka said he was happy that he could contribute to Nepal's victory.

"It was just a beginning and we needed to keep the momentum going forward. I want to give credit to Sharad Vesawkar for hitting winning runs brilliantly in both the matches," Khadka said in a post-match interview.

Nepal had defeated Namibia by five wickets on Saturday.

Teams

P

W

L

Tie

N/R

Points 

Netherlands

6

4

2

10

Hong Kong

6

4

1

1

9

Scotland

6

2

1

3

7

Kenya

4

3

1

6

Nepal

6

2

4

0

0

4

PNG

4

2

2

4

Namibia

6

1

5

0

0

2

UAE

6

1

5

0

0

2

Nepal Innings

Runs

Balls

4s

6s

Gyanendra Malla

22

46

1

Naresh Budayair

6

19

Sharad Vesawkar*

74

107

5

Paras Khadka

103

94

5

7

Rajesh Pulami Magar

1

7

Binod Bhandari

12

13

2

Sagar Pun

2

6

Sompal Kami

1

4

Basant Regmi*

1

3

Extras

(w 9, b 5, lb 4)

18

Total

(7 wkts; 49.5ov)

240

Nepal's fall of wicket:

1-24 (Naresh Budayair, 7.4 ov) 2-37 (Gyanendra Malla, 13.1 ov) 3-204 (Paras Khadka, 41.2 ov) 4-205 (Rajesh Pulami Magar, 42.3 ov) 5-230 (Binod Bhandari, 46.3 ov) 6-232 (Sagar Pun, 48.1 ov) 7-234 (Sompal Kami, 48.6 ov)

(UPDATED)

Nepal chase after Namibia to score 240 runs

KATHMANDU: Opening batsmen Naresh Budayair and Gyanendra Malla of Nepal have started batting to chase a 240-run target posted by Nambia in the second-day match of the ICC World Cricket League Championship (WCLC) at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Monday.

In the first over, Nepal scored three runs without any loss.

With the first four, Nepal reached 20 with no loss at the end of the sixth over.

After surviving two close calls, Nepal lost the first wicket in the eighth over. Budayair was declared out with an LBW in Johannes Jonathan Smit's ball.

Nepal played consistently with singles and doubles several overs, with a run rate of 3 per over.

Namibia's captain Stephen Baard caught Malla's shot midair. Malla had to back with 22 runs off 46 balls in 13.1 over.

Nepali skipper Paras Khadka's entry gave hope to the Nepali spectators. His back-to-back boundaries pushed Nepal's scoreboard to 55 by the end of 15th over.

The crowd cheered loudly as Khadka made his half century at 25.4 overs off 45 balls. Khadka's outstanding play continued as his balls crossed boundaries one after the other.

Paras Khadka outshone himself today as he made a century with his seventh six, taking Nepal's scoreboard to 201 at 40.2 overs. However, Khadka soon went back to the pavilion after he was declared out with an LBW by Zhivago Groenewald. He made 103 runs off 94 balls with seven 6s and five 4s.

Following the skipper, Sharad Vesawkar also made own half century by the end of the 35th over. He (not out) made 74 runs from 107 balls, including five 4s and the winning hit.

Nepal have made a steady start in their chase of 240 against Namibia in #WCL. Follow LIVE: https://t.co/wRQFpiROd9 pic.twitter.com/lbcaahvDDQ

— ICC (@ICC) April 18, 2016

Rajesh Pulami, who came after Khadka, made an attempt for the boundary but it was caught by Gerrie Snyman. He was sent back with just one run in his account.

Binod Bhandari was bowled by Sarel Francois Burger after scoring 12 runs from 13 balls at 46.3 overs. Burger also bowled Sagar Pun at 48.1 overs and Sompal Kami at 48.6 overs. Pun scored two runs while Kami made only one run.

Earlier, Nepal had won the toss and opted to field first. Namibia made 239 runs at the loss of nine wickets in the first innings.

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