KATHMANDU, JULY 2

Dipendra Singh Airee and Sandeep Lamichhane added 79 runs for the unbroken eighth wicket to guide Nepal to a three-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates in the seventh-place playoff semi-final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Harare today.

Batting first, the UAE were bowled out for 181 runs in 46.5 overs before Nepal laboured to 185-7 with 40 balls to spare at the Takashinga Sports Club in Highfield. At one stage, Nepal were struggling at 55-5 inside 18 overs but Airee played pivotal role in guiding the team to victory. Nepal made three changes in the squad bringing in Arjun Saud, Gyanendra Malla and Pratis GC. But the move backfired as Nepal could not make desired start. Nepal lost opener Saud (one) in the second over, while Malla followed soon making it 29-2 in nine overs.

Skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel (four), Bhim Sharki (one) and Aarif Sheikh (one) were dismissed cheaply as Nepal came under tremendous pressure at 55-5 inside 18 overs. It soon became 63-6 after opener Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for 35 off 59 balls that included four boundaries.

Airee and Gulsan Jha added 43 runs to take the team total past three figures. The UAE tightened the grip when they removed Jha (12) in the 29th over. Airee then combined with Lamichhane to take the team home without further loss.

Player-of-the-match Airee remained unbeaten on 79 off 82 balls with the help of seven boundaries and two sixes, while Lamichhane struck two fours in his 37- ball 23 not out. Mohammad Jawadulla took three wickets for the UAE, while Muhammad Junaid Siddique, Ali Naseer, Sanchit Sharma, and Rohan Mustafa

Earlier, Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets each as Nepal bowled the UAE for a below-par total in 46.5 overs.

KC had opener Asif Khan caught behind the stumps by Arjun Saud for a duck in the second ball of the innings. Aryansh Sharma and skipper Vriitya Aravind revived the innings with a 64-run partnership for the second wicket before Lamichhane broke the stand. Lamichhane had Sharma caught for 28 off 43 balls that included three fours.

Lamichhane removed Rameez Shahzad (10) and Gulsan Jha bowled skipper Aravind in the space of 12 runs to reduce the UAE to 97-4 inside 28 overs. Aravinda top scored with 44 off 75 balls with the help of four boundaries.

Rohan Mustafa and Basil Hamid added 58 runs for the fifth wicket to give some respectability to the total. Nepal claimed the last six UAE wickets for 26 runs. Mustafa scored 35 off 56 balls hitting three boundaries before being caught behind by Saud, while KC removed Hameed for 35-ball 29.

Lamichhane returned with 3-23 from 10 overs, while KC grabbed 3-36 from 8.5 overs. Pratis GC, Gulsan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee bagged one wicket each for Nepal.

Nepal will now play against Ireland in the seventh-place playoff match. Ireland made it to the playoff final after defeating the United States of America on Saturday.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 3, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.