Edge past UAE by nine runs in DLS Method for 11th win in last 12 matches
Kathmandu, March 16
Nepal national cricket team emerged from the ashes to earn maiden berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers, here today.
Only a month ago, Nepal were languishing at the sixth position in the seven-team table of the ICC Cricket World Cup League-II and retaining the One Day International status was a tough ask. But with Indian coach Monty Desai at the helm, Nepal won 11 out of 12 matches to seal the third place behind champions Scotland and second-placed Oman.
Today, Nepal defeated the United Arab Emirates by nine runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after bad light stopped play after 44 overs in second innings.
The UAE had posted 310-6 in their allotted 50 overs riding on a scintillating century from Asif Khan. The home team, chasing a target of 311 runs refused to give up and Nepal were cruising at 269-6 with six overs remaining when bad light stopped play.
When the umpires dislodged the bails from the stumps, Nepal were nine runs ahead of the D/L target. The home crowd burst out in celebration and the national team cricketers ran to the pitch. The UAE team members protested the decision but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Initially, the UAE players refused to shake hands with their opponents, but changed their mind and waited in front of the dressing room to watch Nepali cricketers taking a victory lap around the TU Stadium before shaking hands.
Nepal, with 40 points from 36 matches replaced Namibia (39) in the third position and progressed to the Global Qualifiers along with League-II champions Scotland and second-placed Oman, while bottom four teams will now play in the playoff.
Nepal will now head to Zimbabwe for the Global Qualifiers where top three teams of League-II - Scotland, Oman and Nepal - will be joined by bottom five teams of the Super League and top two from Qualifiers playoffs. Three teams from Super League - Zimbabwe, the Netherlands and Ireland - are already confirmed, while two teams among three others - West Indies, South Africa and Sri Lanka - will join them in the Qualifiers along with top two from this month's playoffs.
Chasing a huge target, Nepal lost opener Aasif Sheikh (naught) in the third ball, while Kushal Malla (five) departed in the second over with just six runs on the board. Skipper Rohit Paudel (16) fell to a catch by his UAE counterpart Muhammad Waseem off the bowling of Aayan Afzal Khan as the home team struggled at 37-3 inside seven overs.
Opener Kushal Bhurtel and Bhim Sharki added 61 runs to revive the innings. After the fall of Bhurtel in the 17th over, Bhim Sharki and Aarif Sheikh shared an 83-run partnership to bring the home team back into the match. Sheikh and Gulsan Jha then added 43 runs. Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee added 44 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket before bad light stopped play. At one stage, Nepal were 19 runs behind the UAE in D/L target but Jha hit Muhammed Waseem for a six and three fours in the 43rd over to put the home team ahead.
Four Nepali batters scored half centuries in the match. Sharki, 67 off 76 balls that included nine fours, while Sheikh struck two fours in his 62-ball 52. Bhurtel scored a quick fire 50 off 35 balls hitting three boundaries and four sixes, while Jha remained unbeaten on 48-ball 50 that included four boundaries and two sixes. Airee scored 10 not out.
Nepal bowlers failed to cope with Asif Khan's onslaught as he remained unbeaten on 101 off just 42 balls that included four boundaries and 11 sixes.
He hit Sandeep Lamichhane for four straight sixes in the 49th over. Vriitya Aravind scored 94 off 138 balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes, while skipper Waseem hit two fours and six sixes in his 49-ball 63. Dipendra Singh Airee took two wickets for the home team, while Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami and Lamichhane grabbed one wicket each. The last six overs destroyed Nepali bowlers' figures as Lamichhane conceded 80 runs in 10 overs, while Kami yielded 74.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 17, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
