KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 28

Nepal faced a close defeat against the United States, losing by three wickets in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 Series at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Invited to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal posted a competitive total of 286 runs in 50 overs. Captain Rohit Poudel led the charge with a stellar 96 off 75 balls, supported by opener Asif Sheikh's 52 and Anil Sah's 56 runs. Similarly, Arif Sheikh contributed 37 runs, while Kushal Bhurtel added 11, Dipendra Singh Airee scored 13, Gulshan Jha managed just 1, and Sompal Kami finished with 2 runs.

The US successfully chased down the target, finishing at 287 runs in 49.4 overs with seven wickets down. Shayan Jahangir was pivotal in their victory, scoring 104 runs off 97 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes. Captain Monank Patel contributed 62 runs from 76 balls, while Harmeet Singh added a brisk 57 off 44 balls.

Kushal Bhurtel shone with the ball for Nepal, claiming four wickets, while Sompal Kami and Lalit Rajbanshi took two wickets each. For the US, Nosthusha Kenjige was the standout bowler with four wickets.

Nepal, currently in seventh place with three points from nine matches, faces Scotland on Tuesday. The US holds second place with 14 points from 10 matches, while Canada tops the table with 16 points from 12 games.