Kathmandu, March 21 Sri Lanka Cricket today congratulated Nepal national cricket team for achieving the One Day International (ODI) status for the first time in their cricketing history. “I take this opportunity to congratulate Nepal Cricket for its best ever cricketing achievement, which I believe is a tremendous encouragement to further strengthen the country’s forward journey in cricket,” said Thilanga Sumathipala, President of Sri Lanka Cricket and Chairman of Asian Cricket Council Development Committee, in a press release. Sumathipala further added that “Sri Lanka Cricket believes, the elevation of Nepal into a country with ODI status owing to its excellence shown in the cricketing field, gives them a strong platform to start journeying towards becoming a full member of the International Cricket Council.” Nepal gained the ODI status after finishing among the top three associate members besides the Netherlands in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. As Netherlands had already got the status after winning the ICC World Cricket League Championship last year, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates along with Nepal got the ODI status till 2022.