KATHMANDU, JUNE 24
The Netherlands defeated Nepal by seven wickets in the fourth and final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare today.
Nepali batsmen faltered in a crucial match before being bowled out for a below-par 167 runs in 44.3 overs before the Netherlands raced to 168-3 with 137 balls to spare. The defeat meant Nepal are out of the Super Six race.
Nepali batters struggled from the beginning after they were sent in to take the first strike. Opener Aasif Sheikh was dismissed for a naught in the third over with just seven runs on the board before another opener Kushal Bhurtel and Bhim Sharki added 39 runs for the second wicket. Nepal lost three quick wickets - Bhurtel, Aarif Sheikh (six) and Sharki - in the space of 20 runs to be reeling at 66-4. Bhurtel scored 27 off 42 balls with the help of two fours, while Sharki struck a four in his 56-ball 22.
Nepal failed to build partnerships and they lost the last five wickets for 51 runs. Skipper Rohit Paudel top scored with 33 off 56 balls that included three boundaries and a six, while Sandeep Lamichhane struck four fours in his 33-ball 27. Gulsan Jha (15) and Kushal Malla (12) also scored in double figures.
Logan van Been was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers taking 4-24 from 9.3 overs, while Bas de Leede (2- 31) and Vikramjit Singh (2- 20) shared four wickets between them. Clayton Floyd and Aryan Dutt also bagged one wicket each for the Dutchmen.
In reply, the Dutchmen made the mockery of the target. Openers Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh put up 86 runs in 13 overs. Lamichhane made the breakthrough by trapping Singh leg before the wicket for 43-ball 30 that included three fours and a six. Lamichhane reduced the Netherlands to 96-2 when he had Wesley Barresi (three).
O'Dowd and Bas de Leeded took the team closer to victory with a 62-runs partnership for the third wicket. Gulsan Jha bowled O'Dowd in the 27th over but it was too late for Nepal to stage a comeback. Player-of-thematch O'Dowd struck eight fours and four sixes in his quick fire 90 off 75 balls. De Leede remained unbeaten on 41 off 39 balls with the help of six boundaries.
Lamichhane returned with 2-60 from 10 overs, while Jha took 1-27. Nepal came into the match in a must-win situation after they faced defeats against Test-playing nations Zimbabwe and the West Indies and beat the United States of America in their previous games. With the loss against the Netherlands, Nepal ended the campaign with just two points in Group A.
Nepal skipper Paudel said the team failed to execute plans. "We were short in runs. We knew the wicket would be challenging in the morning. We applied ourselves but we couldn't capitalise on the starts, including me. Having said that, you can't expect the lower-middle order step up every time." Regarding the shortball tactic of the Netherlands, Paudel said: "We had a plan but we couldn't execute. We need to learn and go back home and see how we can improve in that area."
In another match, hosts Zimbabwe defeated the West Indies by 35 runs. Batting first, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 268 runs but they defended the below-par total by packing the West Indies to 233 runs. After the day's results, three teams - Zimbabwe, the West Indies and the Netherlands - are tied on four points and they all are assured of Super Six berths. The USA have faced defeats in all three matches they played so far and are at the bottom of the table.
In Group B, Sri Lanka, Scotland and Oman have four points each. Ireland, who have two matches in hand, have mathematical chance despite losing the first two games, while the bottom-placed United Arab Emirates are already out of the race with three defeats.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 25, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
